Paw in Paw
by Mister Smail
Summary: It has been a year to the day since Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde first met, and the two have grown ever closer as each day has passed... though they are still on a 'friend' basses, Nick thinks that - with some gentile prodding - it's about time they became something more. But when the city falls into chaos, will the strength they lend each other be enough for them to survive?
1. Monday Mundanity

It was Monday, late afternoon, the inside of a small apartment room, the second floor in a block of flats.

It was a remarkably small room, dull gray in color and sparsely furnished. There was a small fridge and a microwave for a kitchen, the bathroom was outside down the hall and to the left. There was a desk with some paperwork on it, a photograph of the tenants mother and father and a few other sentimental treasures, one of them being a novelty 'carrot' pen.

There was a cheap wardrobe, containing several summery outfits and a uniform, a door on one end of the room, a window on the other and that was about it.

Except for the bed which was against the wall and took up about a fifth of the floor space. There was a rabbit on the bed. The rabbit sighed. She was bored.

The rabbit, her name was Judy (or to a certain red-furred friend of hers: Hopps, Fluff or Carrots), was staring up at the ceiling and waiting for the day to end.

Even though she had wanted to be an officer since she could hop. Even though she had finally made it. Even though she was the only rabbit ever to have done so, and even though she loved her job and found excitement in even the most mundane of tasks, she still had moments like this. Where her time at work was over for the day and she found herself with nothing to do until work started again. Crime never slept, but apparently she had to.

It was at moments like this that she realized... well, she realized she had no life outside her work: no hobbies or interests; no places to go and be other than here; no family to visit anywhere near within traveling distance. She was even missing the entertainment of her neighbors as they had gone away for the month. While she got on well with just about all the officers, she could only call one of them a friend in the realsense. Someone who she could talk to, and open up to. Someone to tell how her day went, how her family was. To make jokes with, tease, embarrass, fall out with and then make up again later that day. And Nick, her only friend, was at work.

Nick was at work in Precinct One while she was at home, lying on her bed. Many officers would be pleased to have the afternoon off, but not Judy. That morning she had been at work, busy doing paperwork to follow up a foiled burglary. When Bogo, the chief policemammal, had burst into the room.

Abruptly, he told Judy she looked dead on her feet and was to go home immediately and rest.

She had tried to argue her point; she didn't feel tired in the least; it was Monday morning, and she had just had the weekend off and was itching to get some work done at last! But Bogo had overruled her argument and had sent her home regardless. What was there to do other than lay in bed and wait for Tuesday to come?

Her phone buzzed, breaking the silent monotony. After a moment's wondering if it had just been in her head, she reached over to the end table by the bed and picked up the phone. She had a text. She looked at who the text was from and smiled. It was from her friend, Nick.

She opened the text and read it, smiling yet further at Nick's appalling grammar at texting. It was a short text and didn't make much sense, merely stating:

"you in"

She stared at the text for a moment, then texted back:

"Yes..?"

Several seconds passed and then her phone buzzed again.

"open the window"

Her brow furrowing, Judy sat up out of bed. Putting her phone back on the table, she stood, threw her dressing gown on and pulled open the curtains. The dull grey light fled as the golden midday sun flooded in.

She pulled opened the window, blinking in the sudden warm light. The street was busy with the standard comings and goings of city life. The cars, the public, all looking exactly as it always did. She was about to turn from the window and text 'what am I looking at' to the fox, but she was interrupted by a noise.

A loud whistle drew her attention down to ground level two floors below, to a clearing in the pavement where she saw a very familiar figure with two fingers in his mouth to whistle with.

The rabbit raised her eyebrows. The daft fox was grinning up at her on one knee. He had one hand on his heart and the other proffered a bunch of flowers towards her. He opened his mouth and then – without any shame, much to the embarrassment of Judy and to several odd looks from passers by - Nick started to serenade her.

"Come sei bella, più bella stasera. I brillare un sorriso di stella, nei tuoi occhi viola."

Leaping back from the window, Judy threw herself to her wardrobe and changed out of her pajamas, Nick's voice calling clear through the open window.

"Anche se avverso il destino domani fermarci. Oggi mi fermo per voi."

Dressed, Judy headed to the door but stopped, quickly returning and fetching her phone.

"Dimmi che illusione non sono solo, dimmi che sei tutta per me."

Throwing open the door and sprinting down the steps (giggling all the way) Judy came to a stop outside the door to grin at the fox who was still singing: "Dimmi di più sul nostro amore, l'amore che abbiamo tra il coniglio e la volpe, l'amore condividiamo, me e tu."

Rushing forwards once again she hurried across the street, throwing her arms around him as he finished, nearly knocking him flat. "Hey, easy there Carrots, easy!"

She laughed as she drew herself away. "Since when have you sung Italian?!"

"Just one of my many talents, Carrots. I may have just learnt a few lines, perhaps just enough for me to impress a certain bunny by appearing at her window to serenade her. Quite good I thought-" With that, he burst back into song. "Come sei bella, più bel-"

"Nick!" Judy quickly regained her composure (she didn't mean to shout quite so loud). "Nick, thank you, that was very kind of you, it really was very thoughtful and thank you."

"Your welcome Hopps, but if you think that's as far as my thoughtfulness has gone on this momentous day of ours, you're in for something else entirely."

Her ears pricked up as he mentioned a 'momentous day', but she was interrupted from asking about it by a large bundle of flowers being pushed before her face.

"Oh, my favorites! Thanks, Nick." She gave him another hug.

"Wait, that's it? A hug? I buy you flowers, I serenade you. What's a guy gotta do to get a kiss around these parts?"

Lost in the moment somewhat, Judy humored the fox with a playful peck on the cheek.

Nick's already smiling face notably brightened at this gesture, handing her the flowers.

"So," Judy asked as she started munching into the tasty treat her fox-friend had brought her, "you say this is a day of some significance, what's the occasion?"

Nick's face dropped, his expression became aghast. He stood upright. "Don't tell me you've forgotten! Oh, the agony, the heartbreak." Concern grew within Judy at this display. Fortunately, she had known Nick more than long enough to spot the gleam in his eyes and the twitch of a grin which danced around the edge of his expression.

Judy, instead, watched the display with a bemused smile as Nick placed one hand over his heart and the other to his forehead as though he was about to faint.

"Oh cruel, cruel bunny. How could you forget today of _all_ days?"

"Nick, just tell me what today is."

Nick stopped, suddenly bending over to Judy's height. His emerald eyes sparkling mischievously, "three hundred and sixty five days ago today, Carrots, a certain restless bunny was on meter maid duty, whilst a certain suspicious-looking fox was trying to con a jumbo-pop from an elephant."

Judy gasped, her paw going to her mouth. "Has it really been a year? A whole year since I met you?!"

She had meant to do something memorable with Nick for their 'meeting you' anniversary (spend the day with him, go for a meal or a film, or a walk in the country or something), but she didn't have a clue just how late in the year it had become.

"Time sure does fly, Carrots." Nick said, softly.

A blush filled her cheeks as she looked away from Nick's emerald eyes.

"I'm sorry I forgot, Nick. I'm so sorry I forgot."

"You bunnies, so emotional." She looked back and punched him playfully in the arm. "Come on, Fluff, before they give away our table."

Suddenly Nick was gone, walking briskly away. It took Judy a second to process the statement and Nick grinned as Judy ran to follow him, as he knew she would, calling to him:

"Table? What table? Nick!"

Nick remained stubbornly silent as he lead Judy through the streets and back-alleys of Zootopia until she was truly lost. At length, Judy and Nick approached a small café on street corner. It was old and slightly shabby, but warm and inviting, with peeling red paint, yellow light shining from within and a sign written in gold-leaf above the door.

'Joe's Place'.

Nick stepped forwards and opened the door for Judy, bowing playfully as she entered, before following behind her.

It was only two stars, but that was pretty good going for a couple of coppers in their first year of service living in the heart of Zootopia, and felt like fine dining to the two mammals as they went to their seats.

Nick pushed the chair in for Judy as she sat down, much to her amusement. Then walked around the round table to his seat. He looked down at the table as he sat and found, much to his surprise, that the chair was being pushed in for him by Judy.

Nick managed to stop his moth dropping open, if only just. She giggled at his expression as she returned to her chair. _How quick could that bunny move?_


	2. Table for Two

Within five minutes of being seated they had ordered drinks, looked at the menu and were now waiting for their food to arrive.

Judy looked about the interior of the restaurant. It wasn't the largest of cafés, but it was warm and cosy and instilled a sense of comfort. The furniture was old but made of sturdy, good quality wood of a deep brown color, smooth with age. Soft instrumental music was being piped in through a number of speakers concealed about the room.

Their table was next to the window and they could look down the length of the street. The tablecloth was red and white checked, with a lit candle in the middle of it.

Judy finished looking about their surroundings and turned to Nick, who was warmly watching her from his place on the other side of the small round table.

She smiled back. "What?"

"I was just remembering your face when you realized what day it was."

"Oh, that. Yea, I'm sorry Nick, I meant to do something but we've just been so busy with the recent spree in drug crime~"

"Don't worry Carrots, I'm just glad one of us remembered. I, for one, would have hated it if we missed today."

"Me too." Judy settled back a little in her chair. "So, how long have you been planning this?"

Clearing his throat, Nick looked off to one side. "Oh, I actually forgot about it myself until I looked at the calendar this morning."

"Uh-huh..." she tilted her head to the side, a brow raising, "and the flowers?"

"Bought them on the way over."

"The table?"

"Booked it half an hour ago."

"The serenade?"

He shrugged. "Been practicing if for a couple of weeks, just thought it might come in handy some time, knowing how emotional you bunnies are."

Another thought suddenly struck her, one that was obvious but which she hadn't considered until a moment ago.

"Nick, why aren't you at work?"

At this, he did pause. "Bogo, er, told me he couldn't bear to see my face today and to take it someplace else." He looked down, embarrassed at this, but his face brightened again as he found the loophole in Bogo's insult and turned it into a compliment. "Guess I'm just too damn handsome for him."

Judy looked thoughtfully at the table. _The answers were all completely believable, but there was something not quite right about the way he said them._ Judy had spent the best part of a year with Nick and knew a lot about how he expressed himself. Being the kind of mammal who hid his every emotion from the world had forced Judy to learn the meaning behind the slightest twitch, the smallest change in his tone of voice, she didn't do it for any 'unfair advantage' over him but it was the only way of knowing how he was truly feeling, and something was off.

Resolving to find the truth for herself, she stood, briskly.

Looking at her, startled slightly as she rose from her chair, he asked, "Where are you off to?"

"The little bunny's room" she called back.

Nick sat back in his chair and watched Judy's retreating fluffy white tail as it swished delightfully from side to side as she walked, then he realized just what he was gazing at and quickly looked anywhere else. He looked to his right and saw an ageing waiter, a billy goat, with their food.

He set down their plates to Nick's thanks before walking away.

Nick looked from his plate to Judy's, then back to his again. _This was too good an opportunity to miss._ He had been curious for a while, but Judy would never even try it... not knowingly at any rate.

When Judy returned to her table a minute later she found her food waiting and Nick a third through his. He sent her a sheepish grin as she sat. "Sorry Carrots, I meant to wait for you but I just found myself eating and couldn't stop."

Judy smiled witheringly at him as she sat. "Just so long as you wait for me."

"Hopps, I wouldn't dream of leaving you behind."

Her hand stopped as she reached for the fork. _Wow, he put a lot of sincerity into that comment, he really meant it. I wonder~_ A grin set upon her face as her mind went back to her recent 'discovery'. She pondered when to bring it up.

"What are you hiding, Hopps?"

She looked up, startled. "What?"

"I know that grin," his eyes narrowing playfully, "you're planning something, aren't ya?"

 _No, now was not the time._ Thinking quickly Judy found another believable answer. "I was just wondering what you were singing when you serenaded me."

It was subtle, but Nick _did_ choke a little on his mouthful. "You know what? I can't really remember." Judy narrowed her eyes. Nick quickly went into eating, apparently _really_ enjoying every mouthful and giving each bite his _full_ attention.

Judy looked at her food. It would be cold by the time she finished if she pursued that line of inquiry now, so she reached out a paw to pick up her boat of spiced carrot had an identical boat but of chicken, and brought it over to her food.

"Can't wait to try this spiced carrot gravy you recommended."

She was about to pour it on her food when Nick's hand shot out.

"Er, Carrots, it is possible you won't like it."

As much as he wanted to find out, he didn't want to risk ruining Judy's meal if she didn't enjoy it.

Nodding, she picked up a piece of broccoli and dipped it in, raising it to her mouth, Nick watched with interest as she put it in.

Her eyes shot wide, chewing, a grin broke upon her face.

" _Mmm_! This carrot gravy is really nice, I've never tasted anything like it!"

"Really... glad to hear it." Nick grinned as she poured copious amounts over her food. _So, Judy Hopps likes meat._

 _"_ Sweet Cheese and Crackers, I didn't know you could make carrot _taste_ like this!"

He chuckled inwardly. O _h the meal I'm gonna prepare for you, how could she hope to resist me after opening up 'that' revenue of taste sensation?_

...

Half an hour later, Nick and Judy had finished their main meal (Judy had asked for some extra crusty bread to dab up the last of the _carrot_ gravy) and their dessert (a large ice cream sundae which they had shared, until Nick got a brain freeze) and were now sat in the warm café, comfortable and cosy after their meal.

Neither wanted to leave just yet and so they sat and talked, exchanging pleasant conversation with one another. A full hour passed, but both were having such a wonderful time just sitting and talking it passed in minutes.

Judy lay her head on the table, resting her chin on her hand and looking up at Nick, giggling occasionally. She felt warm right had eaten a lovely meal, in a lovely place, with a very lovely mammal. The whole evening, in fact, had been bliss for Judy. She was so comfortable and relaxed by this late stage she didn't even question her feelings as they radiated freely towards Nick.

"You know, I really like you, you're a really great guy."

"You're not so bad yourself, in fact, I'd say you're a real _articulate_ bunny."

She beamed up at him as he quoted her from their very first conversation from the very first time they met. She couldn't remember him quoting it before but it seemed somehow fitting for him to do so on this day.

"I love it when you smile like that." He lowered his own head onto the table, level with hers. "Makes you look so-"

"-Don't call me cute"

" _Beautiful_."

Judy smiled, leaning back in her chair and, stretching her paws out, clasped on the table in front of her and dozing slightly after the meal as Nick sat up. "Thanks, Nick. You're not bad looking either."

Nick grinned wider. This dinner of his had worked. She was completely at ease with him, it was going better, even, than the best he thought it could go, to the point where he felt as though, if he took it steady, he could tell her how he felt about her before the evening was out.

He knew his next move was risky, but he decided it was worth it.

Judy's hand was resting in front of her on the table. Nick reached over, Judy watched his paw as it crossed the table and took hers. Her first reaction was to pull back, but stopped herself and allowed Nick to hold her paw in his own.

"You have such warms hands." Judy's eyes returned to Nick at his comment. "So soft and gentle." She watched him, smiling lightly as he leaned forwards, planting a soft kiss atop her hand.

" _Nick._ " Judy said a _little_ reproachfully, but smiling.

And then, Nick started moving his muzzle towards hers.

Giggling, she pushed his nearing head away with her free paw. "Oh Nick," she teased, "I never knew you were such a romantic."

After her gentle push, Nick's head immediately returned, though slightly closer. "I'm not normally, but there's somebunny who I just can't help myself with."

His grin turned to a warm smile. He squeezed her paw tighter. His touch sent a buzz to Judy's head and a shiver down her spine.

Judy's voice failed her at his words and closeness gave her a hot flush. She wondered why he was so close, she realized with sudden dawning that if she would only lean forwards slightly her lips would connect with his... _and it would be sweet._

Her smile faded as she took in the whole evening's activities. The serenade, the flowers, that sparkle in his eye she could not quite place. Her ears slowly fell as she connected the dots which lead to how intimately close Nick now was to her.

A much hotter flush took her as she realized that she, _herself_ , was moving closer, her lips towards Nick's, his handsome red face, his enchanting green eyes.

 _ ***BOOM***_

Suddenly there was a bright flash. A rumble. The partners all but leapt from their chairs as their heightened emotions made them react with much more vigour than normal.

Then, all the lights in the café went dark, the music stopped and the ovens started to go cold.

At another _crash_ the partners looked out of the window, just as a bolt of lightning struck the radio tower of a tall apartment building.

Neither of them ever spotted the approaching black clouds, they were so focused on their own thoughts and their own moment. The shock of the suddenness with which the storm had hit, had knocked all intimacy of a moment ago from Judy's mind and Nick saw this with just a glance at her eyes.

Rising, Nick grunted heavily as droplets started speckling the window. "Come on Carrots, we'd best get you home before it starts pouring."

Four minutes later, after Judy had reluctantly let Nick pay for the meal (but only because she left her money in her apartment and she _was_ going to pay Nick her half later, despite how many times he refused), Nick and Judy were staring out at the storm from under the protection of the café's porch, bracing themselves for the trip to come.


	3. Raindrop Deluge

Nick looked out at the now torrential downpour. _A perfect storm, but one which will be all in my favor._

He looked to Judy, raising his voice against the clamour of the storm. "You sure about this? We could just wait it out in the caff."

"I checked my phone, Nick, that storms not stopping 'till the middle of the night."

"Okay Hopps, lead the way."

Judy was about to step out from the protection of the porch when another _crash_ of lightning lit the sky and the volume of rain increased a notch.

"Cheese and Crackers! Lets get this over with."

With that she stepped out, sprinting down the pavement with Nick following behind. Twenty paces later Judy stopped, she looked about her, then shouted back to Nick. "Nick! I don't know the way!"

"Oh yea." Fully shouting now, over the cacophony of the downpour. "Okay Fluff, this way." He started running down a nearby alley.

Judy followed, being careful to stay close to the fox as he darted from narrow ally to to unlit backstreet, through the maze which was the world of Zootopia was whenever you let Nick lead the way.

When Judy lead the way, it was a simple walk from their destination using the main roads and pavements to get to where they wanted to go, but with Nick it was much more, well - fun he called it, though Judy had her doubts - you found yourself darting from street to street, each darker and more shady then the next. According to Nick it saved time and kept you out of the way of prying eyes, but in all honesty Judy thought it was just for appearances sake.

It was not uncommon to have to climb the odd fence or traverse the odd garden either, as Judy now found herself to be doing.

She jumped the fence Nick had climbed as the back door to the house swung open to angry shouts from the owner. " _Nick!_ " She called to reprimand him - an officer of the law - for trespassing, but her voice was lost to another loud _crash_.

She followed Nick through the last of a dozen narrow unlit alleys and suddenly recognised where she was. Picking up speed she drew level with Nick as they where only two streets away from her house.

Seeing Judy beside him, Nick speed up.

Judy, well aware of the competitive edge each constantly shared for out doing one another, sped up again. The speed of before was but a leisurely trot compared with the speed with which Nick and Judy where now trailing at.

They ripped down the pavement, the large puddles erupting as they passed through them, they where a grey and red blur in the night. Unfortunately for Nick, one of the large puddles he stepped into concealed a man hole cover...

With a yelp he lost his footing on the slippery wet metal which he had failed to see and landed, face first, into the pavement with a _thwack._

Judy stopped as soon as she heard him yell and was kneeling by his side a moment later, mortified as she saw the tinge of red which the puddle took.

"Oh God, Nick! Are you okay? Can you hear me?"

Nick heard instantly how worried Judy was and forced himself to recover quickly, even managing a soft chuckle to help calm her.

"I'm fine Judy, jus' a nose bleed, tha's all."

Judy reached up a paw at the now kneeling fox, Nick moved his head away at her touch, seeing the slight hurt in her eyes he quickly added. "You'll get your paw all bloody."

Nodding after a moment, Judy instead held her paw out to Nick. He took it and was on his feet again a moment later.

They walked the rest of the way to the door. Judy still holding Nick's paw.

The storm abated, if only slightly, and through the thick black clouds a tinge of pail moonlight shone through. Though it was a dull light, faded through the clouds the light had to pass through, it did offer some little light upon the earth along side the dull yellow of the streetlights.

The masonry steps leading to Judy's apartment shining marginally blueish as Judy's foot stepped upon it.

She released her partners paw to get her key and he returned it to its standard place within his trouser pocket.

"Okay Fluff, here is where I shall leave you. Thank you for being with me tonight."

Judy stopped, key in the lock, and looked over to Nick, concern in her face.

"But... you live on the other side of Zootopia!"

He shrugged, giving her a lazy smile. "Used to it Carrots, this ain't the first time I've walled across the city in a downpour."

She leaned towards him, unlocking the door. "Last time, Nick, you didn't have me to watch over you. You're sleeping over tonight, whether you like it or not."

He looked nonplussed up towards the window to her apartment. "Fluff, I've _seen_ the inside of you apartment, no way is there room for both of us. Besides," he looks back to her grinning, "I'm a big strong city fox Hopps, I can take care of myself."

Judy was weary with this back and fourth, she was soaked, she was tired and she wanted only to be dry, to be warm and to not have to 'be-awake-all-night-worrying-if-Nick-got-back-okay'.

She kicked open the unlocked door. "Nicholas Wilde! Inside Now!"

...

Five minutes later and Nick was dripping in the corner of the room with his head tilted up, holding a piece of tissue paper to his nose. Judy had dried herself off and chained. Nick (diligently and without requiring instruction) had stood against the wall, turned his back and shut his eyes through the whole thing.

"No, Nick, you tilt your head forward."

He looked at her, surprised. "Forward?" His speech slightly more nasal than normal. "I allays thought you tilted back."

She shook her head, her ears hanging behind her at her injured fend. "No, tilt it back and you might choke on the blood."

He did as Judy said, trusting her words implicitly. Several seconds passed.

"I think its stopped now." He walked further into the room and put the bloodied tissue in the bin, his mussel now clean.

At seeing her partner returned to full health, her ears pricked up and her voice recovered its musical qualities.

"Okay. Come on, get your cloths off."

Nick froze in place for a second, then coolly slid into a lazy smirk.

"A little more forward than I was expecting but - _pfft - w_ ho am I to complain?"

Judy, fully expecting this reaction from the childish fox, tilted her head and raised her eyebrows - the voice of reason. "No Nick, I did't mean it like that and you know it. If you don't take those wet things off and dry yourself you're going to get pneumonia."

"And what do you want me to wear? I assume you don't have anything fox sized in that wardrobe of yours."

"No, but..." Quickly she reached under the bed and pulled out two spair duvets. One she lay out flat on the floor like a mattress and one she piled as a hep above. Then she placed one of her two pillows on the floor and then fetched a towel from a draw in the wardrobe.

"Undress, dry yourself with this," handing him the towel, "and then get yourself snug under that blanket."

"You won't mind my being, err~"

"So long as I don't _see_ anything, yes I'm fine with it."

He looked down at the towel, down at the duvet, then up at Judy.

"I do, kinda, toss and turn a bit in my sleep." He warned.

Judy rolled her eyes. "Nick, for the last time, take off those dripping cloths or I will. I know you're trying to put on a brave face to impress me and all, but I can see you shivering from here."

After a moment his grin again came. Then, with a wink, he reached up and slowly started to tug at his tie and then - the second before Judy would have turned around - the fox's grin parted, his moth opened and then Nick Wilde started singing out that instantaneously recognizable theme...

 _David Rose's... 'The Stripper'._

Judy was frozen at this unusual and rather amusing turn of events as the fox slowly stared pulling the tie away from his neck. He slipped it off and swung it around as Judy started to giggle, the volume of his singing increases.

After swing it several times, Nick let go of the tie and threw it to an imaginary audience. Judy's giggles turning to laughter as she caught the tie mid flight.

Still bellowing the music, egged on by her obvious amusement, Nick started to undo his top buttons, his hips swaying, his tail flicking, undoing each button with a flourish in time with the music, Judy watched all with captivation at the almost ridiculously hilarious act...

 _~ and that was the first time things wen't strange for the rabbit ~_

The grin which had been plastered across her face from the start of the act slowly dropped as the last of Nick's shirt buttons was undone. The sound of Nick's humming seamed to fade. She felt as though she was watching from afar. Something new - an emotion she had never really felt before - stirred from deep within her... and it was growing stronger, stronger with every second as the fox slipped his shirt off, dropping it to the floor, no longer singing and just gazing straight at her, his face lacking his usual smirk.

She had meant to turn around and miss the whole thing, but it started so innocently and playfully with the tie - she didn't want to miss that - and after that there was no real harm in just seeing a _couple_ of buttons before turning around... and now~

At last his lazy smirk came as his paw slid down to his belt buckle. Judy's mouth hanging slightly open.

"This is about to get a little heated, right about now."

"Oh... yea sorry."

She turned away hurriedly, wondering what made her linger so long in the first place. That feeling, luckily, had gone as quickly as it came, the rabbit stared fixedly upon the far wall.

"Watch if you want, of course. I won't mind."

" _Nick!"_

"Only kidding Carrots, only kidding."

She failed to see the humor. Judy had been curious as to what her partner looked like naked for a long time, she told herself she was only _curious_... and she was sticking to it, but she realized now that this was the perfect opportunity. All she would need to do would be to wait until she hears his trouser drop and then, simply, turn around and see~

She bit down _hard_ on her lower lip to suppress _that_ line of thought before she started blushing.

But a blush formed anyway when she heard his buckle undo, his trousers drop and then his boxers a moment later - cursing her bunny hearing as her mind unwillingly visualised every sound.

She heard him rub himself down with the towel for a while and then, after a rustling sound which lasted only a few seconds, Nick's voice.

"Okay, you can look."

She took a small glance over her shoulder - not fully trusting the fox _not_ to be stood stark naked right behind her - no such luck.

 _What! No such... no such luck..?_

 _CONTROL YOURSELF JUDITH!_

 _Sweet cheese and crackers, what am I thinking?_

She managed to hide her internal scolding for thinking such thoughts as she looked down at Nick, fully covered, beneath the duvet, grinning up at her.

"Surprisingly comfy."

Smiling as she stepped over to him, Judy crossed the room, lay Nick's wet things out to dry, flicked off the light switch and then mad her way back to her bed. Dark though it was, the outside streetlight shone enough yellowish light through her thin curtains to give the room enough light to see by.

She stepped over at Nick again and into her bed.

"No goodnight kiss?" He teased.

She smiled, bemused. "Don't push it Nick."

"Okay. Seriously though, thanks for this."

She sat up to see him, meeting his warm smile with her own, letting their sheared looks of warmth convey all that needed to be said.

"Sleep well Nick."

"You too Hopps."

The two good fends lay back down in their beds. Judy covered her face beneath the blankets, trying to relax into something like sleep while all she really wanted to do was giggle; suddenly very giddy and childish at having Nick sleeping over, with her, in her small home, for the first time.

...

Judy sat up abruptly a moment later. "Nick?"

Nick sat up too, propping himself up on his elbows and straining his neck to look properly at her. "Yes my little Bunbun?"

"If both our being sent home was just a fluke, how come you'd booked a table at the restaurant?"

There was no pause in his delay. Not that this meant he was telling the truth, it just meant he had already considered this as a possibly asked question.

"I thought I already told you Hopps," he replayed coolly. "I just called in about half an hour before-"

"No, you didn't." She snicked. "When I went to the toilet I actually suck a peek at the reservations list. You booked that table three weeks ago Nick!"

This time there was a pause. Then a long intake of breath.

"Okay, you've rumbled me. I shall come out with all."

He smiled at the self satisfied _humph_ Judy made, but his features again became solemn at what he now had to say.

"I have been planning this evening for two months now, I thought about taking you to the movies, I considered taking you to out of Zootopia for the day, I looked at about a dozen different restaurants within walking distance of yours before finally settling on Joe's Place. I found a florets who sold the flowers you like and eventually decided that a serenade was, by far, the best way to start off the evening."

Judy chucked. "But for all your research, you never looked at the weather report."

The fox grinned back apologetically... he had to play along after all.

He told Judy he would come out with all... but that didn't mean she had to know he knew full well of the coming storm and had planned and timed their evening accordingly. He was pleased to say his plan had gone down without a hitch as Judy - as he knew - couldn't bare to see poor Nick walk all that way in such weather and was now - as he had foreseen - cosy and warm, in Judy's apartment... with Judy.

It crossed his mind that he may have shot himself in the foot with all that planning, it could have been quite a different evening if it was not for that storm, he knew he hadn't imagined Judy's lips parting the moment before the bolt hit. All the same, this was the first of a number of small logical steps Nick had worked out long before tonight. It all started with a first sleepover, then others would follow more easily, his place, her place, a weakened away together, a week off in a cottage in the country and then, maybe, they would be living together!

All simple logical steps on their own but together something very powerful, and it all started, right here.

"...and Bogo," Nick was drawn back from his thoughts. "Was he in on it?" He nodded in reply. "Well, nice work _Slick._ How'd you get him to agree to the time off"

"Oh I just explained how much of an important day this was to you and he accepted."

"...and Bogo gave us the day off, just for that, just because I met you a year ago?"

"Yes, in fact after I explained how important it was, Bogo seemed to think it should be made into a annual national holiday."

Judy still wasn't convinced, ignoring the second comment which was obviously a playful lie and a rather pathetic attempt by Nick to throw her off subject.

"So Bogo, _'Bogo'_ said..." she huffed "look, you sure we're talking about the same mammal? Cape buffalo, tough, 'bout two thousand pounds of attitude... secretly likes Gazelle."

Nick chucked, grinning even defeat. "I really can't pull anything on you can I Carrots?"

Judy returned with a grin of her own. "Not anymore."

"...I have agreed to several hours of unpaid overtime to make up for today."

"Nick, you shouldn't have. I'll help you, of course, the'll-"

"Sorry Hopps, but Bogo Boy was very explicit that I was _not_ to drag you into doing unpaid overtime with me or I'd be doing it in solitary confinement... in a cell... for a week. That's his orders, not mine."

There was another, longer pause.

"Nick." She started again as she lent down, resting her head on the edge of the bed, meeting his steady gaze, her voice soft and soothing. "Why didn't you just tell me? I get the 'not telling me so it's a surprise' part, but why did you pretend it was all last minute?"

He answered, but his speech quickly fell to incomprehensible mumbling as his gaze dropped.

"Whats that?" Her voice rising to teasing level. _If sincerity won't get it out of him, maybe joviality will._ "Come on Slick, even my bunny ears won't pick that up!"

"Huh." He snorted a single, faint laugh then fell silent. Several seconds passed of Nick simply looking into her eyes, as though finding strength in them. He sucked in a breath of air and then continued.

"I didn't want you to know how much I cared."

"...and how much do you care?"

"Go to sleep, Carrots."

Judy was silent for several seconds. Nick often subtly changed the subject whenever Judy trod too close to something delicate, thanks to his silver tongue half the time she didn't even realize it had happened until thinking it over after, but he didn't normally make it this obvious... only he wanted to make it obvious he was done talking on the subject.

Judy doubted she would get any more out of him that night. Driven though she was, if he wanted to be, Nick could be impossibly stiff-necked and would just get in a mood and leave despite the storm long before telling her what she wanted to hear. It was coming though, any day now, she could _feel_ it.

She made good of the situation as it was and smiled sweetly then spoke.

"Thanks, Nick."

"Not a problem, Judy."

"For everything I mean. This was a wonderful evening, just as memorable as the first day we met and for all the right reasons. You have been golden company and I won't ever forget it."

Nick smiled back honestly, his eyes glistening in the dim light.

Then, Judy turned her head briskly away from him to sleep, secretly though, it was to hide the tears of joy which where, for some reason, welling up in her eyes.

"Night Jules." Nick's voice came soft and warm, soothing its way through her ears like a soft hug. It calmed her and warmed her, lulling her into a state of sleep.

 _Jules? Haven't_ _heard that one before._ Not that she minded the new nickname, truth be told, she loved it.

"Night Nick." Judy replayed a little horsey, wiping away a tear, her head hidden beneath the blanket. She hopped he didn't mistake her hoarseness as coldness as she drifted quickly to sleep.

...

Nick maintained his loving smile on her for sever seconds further. He wanted to sit up, lean forwards, lean over the cute, sweet smelling bunny, plant a kiss on her cheek and then whisper the truth into her ear.

He just wasn't brave enough to do it.

He let out a soft _huff_ and settled down the sleep. The day for the admission was coming, he could feel it. For now he just let what he had achieved wash over him in the soft knowledge of a good job well done and then, smile still in place, sleep took him.


	4. Up an' Out

Nick awoke and was instantly alert, he kept his eyes shut, he was being watched. He called it 'street smarts', Judy called it 'instinct'. But whatever it was he _knew_ he was being watched. Their was a lot more to surviving on the streets of Zootopia than a being able to talk your way out of situations, after all. Opening his eyes the tiniest crack - not enough for the movement to be seen by an onlooker, but enough to get a bleary outline of the situation - Nick took in his surroundings.

He could see no color or defined shape because of how close his eyes where to being shut. But he managed, after a few seconds, to realize he was not, in fact, sleeping on the streets as he first thought.

Though he was on the floor he started to recognized it as Judy's apartment.

Then all last night came back, _and the feeling of being watched?_

He opened his eyes the tiniest crack more, blurs became shapes and a little color appeared. One blur in particular became the shape of a small, large eared creature with amethyst eyes.

Judy was sat up in bed, watching him.

He was a little uncomfortable as he wondered how long Judy had been staring, but decided to be flattered by the dreamy expression on her face as she leant her chin on her hand, elbow on the bed with her eyes half lidded.

He laid still for several moments; enjoying his secret admirer and admiring her in return.

 _Oh the surprise I could give her if I just opened my eyes. If I sprang up and leaped for her. Perhaps I should roll a little, just enough to show off maybe a little more 'Nick' then Judy was planning on seeing. Nothing too much, just enough to get her flustered._

He tried to suppress the ensuing chuckle at the thought but all he could do was suppress the chuckle to a spluttered cough.

Judy, quick as a flash, had turned away and lain back down.

 _And like that the moment is gone. Well, best get on with the duty of the day._

Nick opened his eyes fully. He looked about at the morning sun as it came in through the thin curtains over Judy's window, he looked about at where he had slept for the night and then he looked upon Judy, wondering exactly what had been going through her head while she was watching him.

He looked at her clock, an idea came. _Maybe the moment isn't over quite yet._ He quickly flicked off the alarm, mere seconds before it rang and shifted onto his knees. He lent over the bed, over Judy. He smiled as he saw her try to hide further under the blankets without showing she was awake.

With the alarm turned off, there was no reason for Judy to be awake, so she could not stop him in what he was planning without revealing she had been awake. Nick knew there was nothing he could do if she revealed she was awake (she could just deny everything) but he knew Judy would be too embarrassed to realize this and carry on pretending to be asleep regardless.

Making the most of this advantage over her he slowly reached out a paw. Placing it gently upon her face he slowly stroked it down her cheek with the back of his fingers - though he thought he could get away with touching her ears but he also knew ears where to a rabbit what a tale was to a fox and didn't want to go too far - happy to just enjoy the soft warmth of her face.

He chuckled softly as she started blushing slightly at his touch. Knowing that there was nothing she could do without giving herself away, he lent forward and planted the softest of kisses on the side of her head. He lingered for a moment, taking in the hitching of her breath, the warmth of her face and the sweetness of her sent; then he pulled away. A smile formed on Judy's face. Judy found she was unable to suppress it.

Then, deciding he had taken enough pleasure from Judy's disadvantage, he reached out again and gently shook her. "Carrots, hey Carrots. Wake up."

Nick laughed inwardly as he watched Judy's impressive display of acting as though she had only just woken up and trying to ignore the emotional confusion she must of been feeling after his affections. She was such a good actor, she mumbled incoherently, her eyes where bleary, she turned her head slowly and focused on Nick with an expression of sleepy surprise.

"Hey their Carrots, ready to make the world a better place?"

She grinned. "Allays." She glanced down. "NICHOLAS WILDE!"

...

Another minuet later, Nick was dressed and cowering in the corner of the room with his arms around his legs with his knees against his chest, under the interrogation of Judy who had armed herself with her cushion.

"It was the one thing I said, the one thing! ' _So long as I don't see anything'_ but what did you do?!" The last four words came in time with four hefty ' _whomphs'_ from her rather ineffective choice of weapon. Nick, who would have found the assault amusing if he was not to busy fearing for his long-term well being by this point, tried to put on a soothing voice. "Judy, how many times, it was an axc-."

 _whomph!_

"But you admit it was _you_ who caused the cover to slip!"

"Only in as much as my moving let gravity move it."

"But you where kneeling in _exactly_ that spot!"

"Judy, I'm sorry you got an eyeful but-"

 _whomph!_

So it went on for several minuets, eventually Judy forgave him, but only when he started blushing so hard it was visible even _through_ his red fur.

Nick was cursing himself, it had been such a tender moment. When he saw Judy's face looking up at his he could see the affection behind it, he had considered trying for another kiss, this one one the lips, before his own damn ineptitude at keeping his private parts covered.

Judy too was cursing what had happened. She knew, now, it was unintentional as Nick hardly ever shew emotion - so for him to be embarrassed enough to see his blush through his russet fur was quite something - but she had _seen_ it. She had seen _'it'_! And it was something she was never going to forget in a million years even _if_ she wanted to.

 _Ha okay! Where the fluff did that last bit come from?_ Judy thought, freaked out to the point of finding it amusing.

She threw away that thought before the blushing started... again. She put it down to Kama or something, she had been staring at him for a while after all, watching him as she tried to remember all the parts of the dream she had just had and all of the ' _experiences'_ she and Nick had shared in that dream.

The dreams where becoming more frequent with every mouth but she knew there was nothing she could do about them, even though they where getting out of hand. She told herself that if their _was_ anything she could do to stop them she would... _but since I can't, what the hey, might as well enjoy them._

Judy dressed in her uniform and Nick again stood against the wall, eyes shut. Nick dressed in the cloths he was wearing yesterday, they had dried out sufficiently over night and he could pick up another uniform once they arrived (he might get a chewing for it from Bogo but he didn't have time to go all the way back to his apartment to pick his up).

Their had been no conversation between the two (only slightly uncomfortable silence) as he and she had changed (this time she had copied Nick and turned to the wall when he changed, he had grinned and opened his mouth to comment but thought better of it).

The ensuing silence had allowed Judy to calm down a little and, opening the door, Nick by her side she looked to him. _By my side... this is where he belongs._

"Nick, I haven't forgiven you for what you did. But-" she carried on loudly as his mouth opened. "It _was_ really nice having you over all the same." Her words faulted as her embracement grew. "Maybe, we could, I mean I know its hardly practical, one of us has to sleep on the floor, but."

Her embracement overcame her. "Actually just forget I-"

"I should like that very much Judy."

A smile grew as the fox placed a tender paw on her shoulder. Then a blush formed and she poked him hardly in the chest. "Next time, Mr. Wilde, you bring a change of cloths with you."

"You mean, you didn't like what you saw?" He teased, she poked him again but it was more of a heavy punch to the gut this time and Nick wheezed and bent double a little, a tear coming to his eye as Judy set off at speed down the corridor.

 _Well you would get cocky at a time like this wouldn't you Nick._ He cleared his throat after she was gone, taking some deep breaths until he felt better. _Yep, there are definitely disadvantages to being this close to Judy, but she's worth it._ Then, locking the door with the key, he headed down the corridor after her.

Some seconds later and Nick found Judy waiting for him just outside the front door, he pulled out his sunglasses once he knew Judy was watching before opening them with a stylish flick of the wrist before putting them on.

"Come on, Slick. We're going to be late if we don't hurry."

Unfortunately - despite one little hick up with a slipping sheet - Nick was in a good mood... and Nick in a good mood was not something that could be rushed.

She rolled her eyes as he sauntered past her, humming some old jazz piece and clicking his fingers in time with the music.

"Hey sir, how y' doin'? Beautiful day ain't it?" The camel stopped and turned dumbfounded to watch the strange over-friendly fox as he swaggered past, clicking his fingers to a beat only he could hear.

The Camel shook his head, walking away and checking to make sure his wallet was still their as Judy's head fell into her hand, pleading in her voice.

"Nick will you stop wasting time, we have like five minuets before roll call!"

He turned to face her, walking backwards with his shoulders in a shrug. "Don't mean to be rude Whiskers, but I am actually closer to the ZPD than you."

She glowed at the floor between them. _Yea, by like three paces!_ Her anger bubbling down within her, she marched on at her full pace, grabbing the tie of the dawdling fox as she continues striding past, tugging him in tow.

"Come one, Vulpes vulpes."

"I'm a coming, Oryctolagus cuniculus."


	5. Tuesday Turnout

Several minutes later and the established, familiar structure of the Zootopia Police Department headquarters came into view.

On two separate occasions on the short stomp over, Nick had tried to dart into a food repository vending establishment where he could acquire some food to masticate but had been foiled in his attempts on both accounts by an impatient Judy who had never once in the last year been late and had sworn this day would be no different.

After quashing any last resistance, Judy led Nick in through the glass doors of the ZPD, her head turning sharply to see the big clock on the wall just as the minuet hand ticks.

 _One minute, we still have one minute._

"Nick, hurry!"

Nick had met Judy just outside her apartment each and every working day (unless it was raining in which case he just waited quietly outside her room's door) and, in earnest, most and nearly all of her nonworking days as well; as a result of this, Nick's record of punctuality was as untarnished as Judy's.

But as they swung open the glass doors to the ZPD, Judy audibly groaned while Nick's ears lowed slightly and his tail slouched just a little lower (both noised only by Judy) as they jogged from the entrance across the large hall-like room and towards the front desk.

"Hey Hopps, Wilde!" Clawhauser - a quite hideously obese cheetah - called out to them from behind the desk as they darted past.

"Hi Clawhauser," Judy called back, "can't stop! Nick, quick, go on ahead and get changed!"

Nodding, Nick's pace increased and he sprinted off towards the chaining room and Judy to stand beside the door leading into the Ball Pen.

"You guys better hurry up," Clawhauser shouted back, "roll call starts in one minute."

"I know Ben, but thanks!"

Clawhauser tried to call back... but found himself too out of breath to do so and, instead, decided his efforts would be better spent on his sixth bowl of Lucky Chops Cereal.

...

Judy was stood outside the door of the Ball Pen - the gathering place of the officers of the ZPD - while waiting for Nick, she had been pacing slowly back and forth before the large door but, as the minuet hand tick off the last minuet, she stopped pacing as her head fell into her hand.

Thanks to her, both herself and Nick where late.

True they weren't very late and she wasn't wholly to blame after (what she had started to refer to in her own mind as the 'Bedsheet Incident' to avoid unnecessary blushing) had happened. All the same it was she who had kept arguing and letting her personal life get in the way of her job when they should have been getting ready to go.

She groaned airily into her hand as she heard howling and the thumping of tables from within the Bull Pen which allays accompanied Bogo's entrance to the room, but she looked up again as, a second later, the chaining room door slammed open and Nick shot out towards her while doing up the last of his shirt buttons.

She pulled the door open for him as he approached. "Come on Carrots! Why didn't you just go in?!"

With no time to answer him she rushes in behind, closing the door herself after the fox so he didn't have to stop working with his tie as they rushed across the room of silent mammals towards their chair. However, they did come to a stop - a dead stop - when the shadow of a Cape Buffalo came towering over them.

"Morning," Bogo, the chief policemammal greeted them with uncharacteristically singsong and lighthearted tones as they looked up towards him... something every officer flinched at.

 _If Bogo was shouting you where usually safe... it's when he's quiet you needed to watch your tread._

"Hopps, Wilde," he continued, smiling pleasantly, "good to see you at last, I was getting worried."

"Heh-erm," Judy chucked nervously, "Yea... _hi,_ sorry we're late, we ju-"

"Just saw fit to join us at last?" He interrupted regardless, his tone as bright and cheerful as before. "I am very sorry if **_I_** have inconvenienced you by starting 'on time'." His voice started to rise in volume, "perhaps we could just move the whole damn bloody timetable," and showing, "to suit your personal requirements rather than that of the official Zootopia POLICE force!"

"Come on, Bogo!" Judy retaliated, "we've never been late before and we're only like thirty seconds late if that! We haven't even had breakfast or showed or-"

"Shut your tiny mouth, Now!" Turning back to the board, both Judy and Nick let out the lungs of air their where holding onto (Nick a little more subtle but relieved none the less) relaxing as the imminent danger passed... for now at least.

"I should put you both on Parking Duty," Judy took back the lungful of anxiety, her fear returning. "But," Bogo continued as he paced to his normal spot, "we need to focus on this blasted spike in drug crime."

Bogo turning away, the belated officers took the opportunity to climb up to their shared seat before Bogo turned around stood in his normal spot to address the fully comprehensive and now completely attentive officers.

"Now," he starts, "as I'm sure all of you are aware, there _has_ been a dramatic spike in the purchase and sales of illegal drugs right here in Zootopia. What some of you may not know is the full extent of this, so called, spike. In the past week alone the number of reported dealings has risen by no less than twenty five percent, a further eighteen percent increase on the week before, with the suspected rise of the growth of said substances rising in..."

"Hopps," Nick whispered to Judy as Bogo continued with some of the more finer details, his speech soft but with a slight accusing edge in his words. "Hopps why didn't you go straight in?"

"And leave you behind?" Judy whispered back, indigent, "no way!"

"Judy, there was no reason for you to take the blame of this with me, I can't and won't be the-"

"Nick, you are my partner." He looked down to his hand in surprise as the sensation of something touching it... surprise which soon turned to a warm smile as he saw - sure enough - a small, soft paw enclosing itself in his. Nick looked back up to Bogo, pretending to pay attention to him while only really listening to Judy.

"Everything we do, we do together Nick, the good and the bad. To be the best we can be, we need to take and give everything we have to each other. If that means being late for you? It doesn't matter in the least, so long as we do it together."

He groaned a low, quire and happy sigh as he turned his own paw around to hold Judy's in return before playfully stating, "sometimes Carrots, I really love you."

He looked round quizzically at the disappointment in her next words to see her staring sadly up at her. "...only _sometimes_?" And then she smiled, and it was _that_ smile she always has reserved for teasing him.

"Well... maybe, kinda more like, allw-"

"Enough talking in class!" Bogo bellowed. "You think this is a damn school, Wilde? Do you want detention or something? Make you sit in a corner with a cone on your head with 'dunce' written on it? Throw chalk at you and then tan your backside with a ruler?"

"Bogo, I know perfectly well you would pay money to have me bent over in front of you with your, so called, _ruler_ ready to tan _that_ part of me... but it's really not my kinda thing." Obliviously this comment from the fox was kept on the inside and what he actually said was...

"No sir."

"Glad, to, hear, it. Now-" At that moment, the police siren kicked into life and the Chief was cut off from his report by loud ringing as Bogo, instantly, was pulling at his radio.

"Clawhauser, what's the situation?"

"Fire sir!" Clawhauser's voice crackled in return, "the old factory 'Ladders and Ladders and CO.', the fire service is en rout."

"Arson?"

"Unknown at this time, sir."

"Right." Bogo clicked off the radio then shouted in clear bellows which cut clean across the sound of the siren. "Everyone, forget about the drug spree for now and get down to Ladders and Ladders, pronto!"

With practiced efficiency, the room cleared and within minutes each and every officer where darting into their cars and setting off down the road at speed with their lights flashing and their sirens wailing.

Judy leaped into the cruiser, doing up her seatbelts as Nick entered through the passenger side and, as they tore off down the road following the rest of the procession, Judy spoke.

"Nick, Ladders and Ladders, know anything about them?"

"They make ladders." He stated deadpan, with a shrug.

"Har har." She replied without humor, "details Nick."

"Sorry Carrots, couldn't resist. Ladders and Ladders and CO. founded about thirty or so years ago and wean't bust a couple of years back."

They followed the procession at speed through a set of red traffic lights, the other cars waiting respectfully as the squadron of cars drove past.

"Why'd they go bust?" Judy asked.

"When was the last time you needed to replace a ladder, Hopps?" Nick asked in return.

"Well... never."

"Exactly, sure they where fine for the first couple of years, but then everyone _had_ ladders; and, I mean, ladders last for _years_ , you know? Once everyone had a ladder they just ran out of custom and shut up shop, the place is still full of all their stock."

The sky above appears visibly darker as they approach the ladder factory and the smoke form the fire filled the air.

"Their stock is still their?" Judy asked.

"Yea, there's nothing worth stealing, just some old wood, and it was cheaper just to leave the stuff dumped there when they went under... so their's plenty of fuel for the fire.

The cars ahead of them turn off, away from the (still out of sight) warehouse as the road to reach it curves off for quite a time... something which the fox apparently fond most distressing.

"No! No, no, no, dumb-dumbs, where are you all going?"

"What? Know a shortcut?"

"Hardly a shortcut Carrots, just common sense! Turn right here." She does so, swerving away from the rest of the convoy and into what appeared to be the car park of another industry building.

"Hopps, all these industrial buildings have car parks, right, and each of them connect to its adjacent one. So, by going this way, we cut half the journey by going along the car parks."

As if on cue, the shapeless grey building, a dull block with a single large door, row of grubby windows, exterior fire exit stairs bolted to the side and a sign written in pealing and faded paint on the front.

 _'Ladders and Ladders and CO.'_

"Ohh, God." Judy breathed as they pulled up, taking in the swarm of fire engines gathered around the building wrapped in flame, fire oozing forth from the windows and black thick smoke rising through the roof.

Nick was silent, taken about by the sight but instinctively holding back all outward signs of shock as he took in the seen story complex with bright golden-red flame spewing from within while Judy turned the car engine off.

"Nick going Slick." Judy complemented as they got out. "Come one, we gotta get these people back from the flame." With that, they started towards the crowd, the fire hot enough to make them sweet even at this great distance when Judy's small yet clear and authoritative voice spoke up, cutting cleanly through the general chatter of the people.

"Okay! Officer Hopps, ZPD! Everyone back up!"

With Hopps and Wilde both working to shift back the crowd, they had nearly everyone backed away to a safe distance by the time the blue flashes and accompanying sirens of the rest of the ZPD convoy caught up.

Their cars pulling up in front of the quietly smug officers, they disembarked and could only gawp at seeing them already their.

"Don't just stand there!" Bogo yelled from somewhere behind the crowd, pushing his way through. "Get these people out of the way and..." he stopped as he broke through to the front, halting as he saw officers Hopps and Wilde.

Bogo was good at hiding when he was impressed with his officers, and only inclination that got of this was a slightly longer gaze sent towards the two before he glanced over to the already cleared public, then back to them again before he turned back around to face the other officers trailing behind and issued the next orders.

"Okay move! I want a perimeter around here now, and get that tape up."

The officers complying, Bogo turned back to Wilde and Hopps, shaking his head with a thin smile on his lips before walking away. "You two stay here and keep an eye on the public; the reporters'll be here soon no doubt but I'm sure you can handle them... just as long as you keep them out of the way of the fire engines."

"Yes sir!" The two smaller officers replayed in unison as Bogo marched off. Sharing a little 'nice going' wink to one another as he walked away.

"Guess we're good on the whole 'being late' front now?" Nick said the rabbit by his side.

"Yep, thanks to you. And going back to that point, of course I _should_ be late with you. It was my fault we where late anyway, besides" she continued, wrapping a small arm around him in a friendly hug, "I _know_ you would have waited for me."

Nick's only reply was to chuckle as he put his own arm around Judy, holding her for a moment before they where forced, by police duty, to return to the moment at hand as, behind them, the large hosepipes for the vinous fire engines continued dousing the flames.


	6. Fire Forensics

It can be surprising just how long a large fire can take to put out. While an average house fire takes around half an hour to extinguish, putting out a factory fire when the factory is full of half-complete wooden ladders takes considerably longer.

The hours dwindled on for Hopps and Wilde as they stood and watched the multistory complex as it was doused for hour after hour by a dozen hoses from fire-engines. While the other officers had been given the tedious task of forming a perimeter around the rest of the factory to make sure no idiots tried to get too close they, at least, had been given the task of keeping the press back.

This job not only gave them something slightly more interesting to do than stand around all day but - as Nick pointed out before turning to a camera, winking, and then sliding his aviator sunglasses over his nose - they where going to be in the fount page of all the news reports tomorrow.

But as the fire started to dwindle, so to did the day and by the time the fire was out and the fire crew entered the building to put out any remaining flame, the early morning had turned to late afternoon.

"You think anyone was in there?" Judy asked as the last of the firemammals entered the building.

Nick gazed at the building for some seconds, the last of the black smoke rising high into the air. "I doubt it, that place as has been abandoned for years."

They waited for some minutes longer and, due to the lack of interesting television, the reposes started to clear away their things and then drove off.

"Finally," Nick said, slipping off his glasses as the last of the vans pulled away, "it's not easy looking this good _all_ the time.

"Well, you seem to manage it well enough." She replied with a coy smile.

"Aww, thanks Hopps," he replied with a cheeky grin, "so you admit you _did_ enjoy the view you got this morning."

Her bright face instantly dropped to a scowl. "Nick! You filthy minded fox!" The rabbit raised a fist with which to smite the fox but Nick, for once, was able to put his combat training to use and blocked the small fist before it hit home. Drawing back her other paw, it shot forwards towards his chest but was, again, caught in flight by the fox's superior natural reflexes. Nick kept firm hold of Judy's left and right paw in his as he spoke.

"Hopps, just be grateful I didn't have a morning e- _argk!_ "

With her hands unavailable for use, Judy had no chose but to kick him in the shin. Bending over and releasing Judy's hands, Nick rubbed his shin furiously to subdue the pain. With his head this close, Judy could not resist latching her finger around the knot of his tie and pulling his head down so he was looking straight at her.

"If you ever mention that incident again, Slick, then I'm going to cut 'it' off with a bread knife." Someone made a loud gulping sound... after a moment Nick realized it was him. Then Judy - just to _really_ confuse him - kissed him on the nose. With a gentle shove the rabbit pushed the stunned fox (who had suddenly taken on the characteristics of a tailors dummy) back into an upright position.

Judy knew full well Nick liked those kinds of affections from her and she was going to tease him for it until his last breath - or until he eventually got up the courage to ask her out like she had been waiting for him to do for mounts - whichever was the sooner.

Now upright, the fox blinked a couple of times before his gaze shifted down upon the smaller form of Judy. His his mouth opened-

"Atten Hut!" From somewhere among the grouped cluster of police cars, Bogo approached and joined the two officers. At seeing the Chief approach Wilde and Hopps instantly stopped talking and stood to attention with respectful salutes.

"At ease." Bogo said. He glanced around as the officers returned to more natural stances, checking to make sure none of the other officer where within earshot before leaning down to be more at their diminutive height, then continuing. "Officer Hopps,Wilde. You're interested in detective work, right?"

Their only reply was the pricking up of their ears and the widening of their eyes, fortunately, it was the only reply Bogo needed.

"Good. Then I'm giving the two of you the duty of investigating the fire that broke out just over there," he pointed a large finger towards Ladders and Ladders, "I want you two to find out if this fire was arson or accidental, where it started, how quickly it spread and the fuel that was burnt. Think you can handle that?"

"Yes sir!" Judy replied, her ears quivering with the excitement of the prospect.

"Okay but look," he continued, his voice becoming serious, "this is not a promotion, got that? Nor is this a promise that you'll make detective any time soon. This is just a little preliminary taster for you to see what it's like, and for me to see how you handle it. Neither am I expecting some amazing revelation, just a normal fire, possibly arson, not connected to any major plot to take over Zootopia or anything like that... we clear?"

"Yes Chief Bogo sir!" Judy replied, her voice high and tremulous with the excitement despite the slight disappointment.

"Well, the fire crew and demolitions team have both looked around and have declared the building both extinguished and structurally sound, the entrance open, on your way, officers."

Walking away, Bogo called out one last thing as they started towards the smoldering shell of Ladders and Ladders and Co. "This is just between the three of us Hopps, Wilde. There are plenty of officer on the force who have been waiting for this kind of opportunity for far longer than you have."

...

Pseudo Detectives Hopps and Wilde entered the large door frame to the burnt out husk of the factory Ladders and Ladders and Co. Tooled up with plastic gloves, shoe protector bags, goggles, flashlights and a camera to photograph evidence, they stepped in.

The factory was oversized for their class of species, like much of the city was, everything towering over them in the darkness. They found no fire damage on the first floor, just a multitudinous supply of half-finished ladders, and so they climbed the concrete steps to the first floor of the seven story establishment.

"So, what do we know already Fluff?" Nick asked as they entered the main workroom of the first floor, knowing that Judy thought better when speaking out loud.

"Well... where - where should I start?"

"Tell me about the nature of the fire, Hopps."

"It was, judging by the amount of fire coming out of the windows, centered around the middle of the third floor as the amount of visible fire decreased the further away from that point we looked and there was no fire visible on the first three floors.

"And the building?"

"All the buildings around here being big industrial buildings, they probably all have pretty thick walls, which would explain why the fire was not able to spread beyond the confines of this building into the other ones."

"The flames?" Nick asked as they left the first floor (also devoid of fire damage) and climbed the stairs to the second floor.

"Massive golden flames which came right out of the windows and several feet into the air. So the fuel burning put out a vast quantity of flame without much intensity when compared to a fuel like coal which puts off smaller but much hotter flames."

"Theirs my clever little Bunbun!" Nick said, tussling the top of Judy's head between her ears in a way that instantly brought a grin to her face.

"Okay Nick," she said as they entered the main workroom of the second floor, pushing his hand away, "you do the clean-up of the facts"

With a pretentiously uppish expression Nick then took upon himself the role of a famous fictitious detective: pacing slowly around Judy with his hands clasped behind his back; walking in slow, steady strides; his back as straight as a broom handle and his speech over pronounced in the 'Proper English' of the Queen.

"I hereby detect," he said, "that the nature of the fire - as you said, a vast quantity but without much intensity - fits the presumption that the fuel burnt was wood. So no apparent foul play is at hand although it is somewhat suspicious as, after all these years of abandonment, I cannot fathom any reason as to why it would suddenly burst into flames."

"So is it arson, Mister Sheerluck Wilde?" Judy asked as they left the second floor which was also mostly devoid of fire damage, apart from the ceiling which was blackened from the heat.

"Inconclusive at this time, Doctor Judy Hoppson," he replied as he started miming smoking a pipe, "for we have not yet seen the point of origin and as you well know it is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts."

Nick dropped his act as they reached the door which led to the main workroom of the third floor. He sucks in a lungful of air as Judy passes him, not noticing his outré behavior until he reaches out and stops Judy by taking her arm. She looks around to him, his nose high, his nostrils flaring. "Hopps, you - you smell that?"

"No, what?"

She remained motionless as Nick passed her, opened the door and took a step into the room, walking slowly with his eyes mostly closed and an expression of concentration on his face.

"Alcohol." He said turning to her after one particularly long sniff.

"You mean like gin, whisky, vodka?"

"No, I mean propanol, butanol, pentanol. I can't tell which, obliviously, but whichever it is it could definitely be an accelerator."

"So it is arson?"

"Well I think so, there's' no reason for any alcohol to be about here, but a scent isn't going to stand up in court, Hopps." He opened turned back to the room, looking properly at it for the first time. "...this however, is a little more incriminating."

In the center of the room - which was coated wall to wall with soot and missing its ceiling - was a large pile of charcoal. All the wood on this floor had been pushed into the center of the room into a heap but was now all burnt out and cold and crumbled under the touch.

"Surely this is enough to prove it." Judy said as she walked once around the heap.

"Again, I would say so, but it could just be circumstantial since we have no way of proving the wood was piled up like this to start with."

With an accompanying sigh, the rabbit stopped as she walked away to investigate the rest of that floor. "Boy, this is harder than I thought it was gonna be, I mean I knew it would be hard, but I just thought once we had evidence enough to be convinced that would be it. I didn't think we'd have to keep on looking for evidence once we bereaved it was arson."

"Yep, still, it's good fun ain't it."

Something upon the floor attains her notice, a small blackened object, a couple of inches long, as burn out and blackoned as the wood that surrounded it. She knelt down for a closer look, then call out. "What do you make of this, Nick?"

He turned to her, seeing her knelt down low on the floor looking at a small black object on the floor. He crosses the short distance between them and takes a closer look.

"Looks like a cigarette," she contained, "wrapped in a... piece of paper?"

"Cleaver, very cleaver. This is how the fire was started, Hopps. If you look closely you'll see a couple of matches attached to the cigarette. My guess is it's like a delay switch, you light the cigarette, the cigarette slowly burns away, lights the sepulcher in the heads of the matches making a flame which then sets the paper alight."

"And then the flame from that lights the flammable solution on the wood which, in turn, light the rest of the building. So, we can prove it is arson now?"

"Oh I should think so, there's too many coincidences to overrule them all and this thing leaves no doubt on the matter. Snap a photo of it, Hopps, I'm gonna search the rest of this floor."

After making appropriate photographic documentation of the rest of that floor, they then searched the remaining three floors which was difficult as all (of the fourth) and most (of the fifth) floor had lost almost all its flooring to the fire.

But regardless, they already had enough evidence to prove this was arson and so left the building after searching briskly through the remains of the sixth and final floor.

...

Emerging from the ladder factory they approached the police car where the profile of Chief Bogo was stood, backlit by the headlight of the police car which was being used to keep the building lit.

"Officer Hopps, officer Wilde." Bogo grated as they approached before asking, "what do you have to report?"

"It's arson sir." Judy replied. "First officer Wilde smelt some kind of alcohol based flammable solution in the air, then we found all the wood on the third floor had been piled into a heap and then," she said, taking out the camera and finding the image of the cigarette, "we found this. It's a... what did you say it was?"

"It's a delay switch." Wilde said. "A cigarette attached to some matches attached to some paper. Light the cigarette, that'll light the matches, then the paper and set the wood on fire."

Nodding slowly, Bogo replied, "Good work, both of you. Get back to base and fill out the paperwork. And I expect I'll be seeing both of you at the annual ZPD Christmas party this evening?"

Judy's ears dropped slightly. "Erm~"

"Weren't we given the duty of staying clocked in this year?" Nick asked.

Because, even at Christmas, the city could not be left without law enforcement some officers had to work over Christmas. This was worked out each year by the difficult and technical process which involved all the officers writing their name on a piece of paper, putting them into a hat, and then having several taken out, at random, by Bogo.

"You where, yes," Bogo replied, "but since you missed out last year I pulled a couple of strings for you and managed to give that duty to Grizzoli and Higgins."

"Oh, er, thanks."

"Don't worry about it Hopps." Turning, Bogo started walking away. "I'll see you two there."

"Okay... _bye_."

Out of earshot, Judy's head fell into her hand and a low groan escaped her at the prospect of having to spend an evening with a dozen rowdy, drunk officer of the ZPD.  
Nick looked down at the disheartened rabbit stood by his side, put an arm around her shoulders, and healed her close. The only small comfort he could provide.


	7. ZPD Yule (optional read)

Ice crackled underfoot as Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps trudged their way across the short walk from the police cruiser to the sizable bar where the annual 'Christmas ZPD _do_ ' was held.

The two officers had chained from their uniforms and into more causal attire. They continued their conversation as they walked from the car, pulling their thick coats closer around them as they stepped from the vehicle, for the icy wind and setting sun was giving cause for the temperature to drop rapidly in Tundratown.

"After all Carrots, I'm by _farrrr_ the better chef."

"That's not true. Okay it's a little hard to make fine dining when you only have a microwave, but what about that time I cooked round yours? Remember, the night before you left for the academy?"

"I do Carrots, I do. Fact is I'm still chipping bits of it out of my oven."

Despite the fact that the temperatures in each of the precincts were meticulously maintained through a series of either heaters or coolers, when it was Christmas time, Tundratown (with its snow and cold weather) invaluably became more popular for a couple of days with people wishing to get into the 'spirit' of things.

She muttered something too quiet to hear as she sped up, pulling the door to the pub open and stepping inside, holding it open with a gloved paw as Nick followed a moment later.

They removed their outer garments, coat, gloves, scarf, et cetera. Nick again commenting on Judy's barrel-like appearance as he helped her out of it all.

Taking her coat and hanging it upon a hock along with his own, Nick turned to Judy in the front porch of the pub after glancing in through the windowed of the wooden door which lead to the main room - wherein was visible most of the rest of the ZPD, engaged in some boyish, foolhardy bar game.

"Ready for this Carrots?" Nick asked Judy, looking in at the sight within. It had taken longer than anticipated to fill out all the paperwork as - after half an hour - Nick decided his time would be better spent seeing how many balls of screwed up paper he could throw into a bin at twenty paces.

"Yea, you said we can leave off early right?" Judy replied, still cross at him for thrusting double paperwork onto her, not only because she had to do all the work yet again but they where nearly an hour late and everyone within, by this point was... rather drunk.

"Absolutely, there's no need to drag this on any more than necessary."

Judy was looking forwards to tonight about as much as Nick looked forwards to his yearly dentist appointment... which he only took because Judy forced him too (i.e. would rather be stuck in a lift for six hours). "Suppose this is the first Christmas away from home?" He asked, still watching the interior of the pub.

"Yes."

He looked down at her at this, an eyebrow raised at the way she huffed it and how her ears tried to drop behind her head before she forced them back up again and opened the door, stepping in and letting it shut behind her.

Nick, naturally swift, slipped inside as the door shut, putting on his best smile as he saw Judy forcing the same as a welcoming - if somewhat slurred - cheer arose from the other officers.

"Mry Chrismss!"

Nick affected a lazy two fingered salute while Judy smiled and waved as the room full of much larger mammals returned to their prior conversations. Nick lent towards Judy's ear so she could hear over the din.

"Can I buy you a drink, missy?"

"Please. I think I'll need it to get through tonight."

"So what can I get... look out," he said, his voice dropping as a large mammal started over to them, "here comes Buffalo-Butt."

"Hoop san While!" Bogo roared in greeting as he came to stand before them - swaying slightly, holding a metal tankard which could double as a beer barrel for mammals their size - before continuing, "I b _u_ y youa dink, first round s'on the Chief."

"Oh, _hey_ Chief!" Judy replied, "Thank you, but that really won't be-"

"Hey, hay, hay. Hopps, what are you doing?" The fox whispered into her ear. She turned to him, squinting in confusion. "Free booze?" He said simply, shrugging. In reply she rolled her eyes and turned back to Bogo... and with that drinks where ordered and they joined the other off-duty ZPD officers. Over the course of the evening, however, the two of them became separated and (although Nick kept an eye on Judy) she sat alone while he (being far more sociable than her) was able to mix and mingle.

Nick circulated, talking to each of the other officers for the smallest amount of time possible while still being polite - using his silver tong to contrive a reason for the conversations hastened ending - before returning to Judy.

At last able to rejoin her, Nick slid himself into the long seat that lined most of the walls next to Judy. Close, very close. He knew he was probably sat closer to her then she would have thought appropriate but a) she needed the comfort and b) she was probably drunk enough for him to get away with it as he had seen her order several drinks over the course of the evening.

"How ya' holdin' Carrots?" He asked. The glass paused en rout to her mouth, she turned her head slightly to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

"No one's talking to me." She said.

"I'll talk to you." This comment managed to get a smile out of her and she slid her warm arm around Nick's waist and pulled herself closer. What little distance there was between them was now gone.

"I know. Out of evr'one on the force - and even mer parents to thome exss-tent - I know I can all'ays talk to you." Her arm was _very_ warm. She turned to him, glistening eyes not quite managing to focus. "I know youloveme, dumb fox."

He lent back at her breath slightly, it hung heavy with the sent of alcohol, that and the heat coming from her arm gave him the distinct impression she had, perhaps, had a few more than she should.

He watched with some concerned interest as she raised the glass back to her lips and took another sip. "Hey, Carrots. How many of them have you actually had?"

Downing the remaining third of the glass she placed it down on the table.

"S'only my fifth."

"Your fifth! Jeez Carrots, you know you've got the alcohol tolerance of a four year old!"

"Yea... get me another will ya?" She held the glass beneath his nose, he took the glass and set it out of of her reach.

"I think you've had more than enough, Hopps. You have work tomorrow for heavens sake!"

"Don't worry about it Nick, I'm fline. Bethides, mer rabbit meter-aboly-ism'll clear allthatup by morning. Won't even have an'angover."

"...if you're sure. You ready to split yet?"

"A-miy' ever?"

And with that they left. With the other officers too busy with their game of darts to notice them leave they slipped out and into the confines of the otherwise empty porch, Nick retrieved Judy's coat, et cetera, from the hock and passed it over. She tried twice to put it on but couldn't, for some reason, quite manage to. Nick suggested that this was because of the alcohol she had been drinking but Judy denied and resented the implication that she was drunk... whilst propping up the wall to stop herself from swaying.

After helping her dress Nick fussed with his own coat (though did not put it on) as Judy thanked him for only having half a point (so he was still sober to drive meaning she could have a few more drinks) and told him that she would do something to make up for it. A point upon which - in her rather drunk state - she was most insistent upon.

"No need Carrots." Nick said for the third time.

"C'mon Nick, I need some way of making it up to you."

"Honestly Hopps, don't worry about it."

She pulled to a stop, swaying between him and the exit-way from the empty porch.

"Don't give me that," she replied playfully, but stubbornly. "Their must be something I can do."

Nick stood watching her for a few seconds, his mouth slightly open in thought. He smiled at her and then raised a paw, twitching his index finger in the gesture to 'come hear'. Judy, after a moment, swayed forwards and did so.

The index finger moves to point at the floor just before him in a 'closer' gesture. She, again, moved after a moment and stood slightly less than a foot from him, her neck straining slightly to look into his face.

Then he knelt down, shifting low onto his knees, so his head was level with hers.

"Okay Judy, you want something to do for me? Well here it is, or rather _there_ it is. "

With that he raised his index finger a third time and pointed up. Watching as her head slowly rises to look upon the ceiling, enjoying the expression of surprise that crossed her face at what she saw their.

Mistletoe.

When she looked back down to him, their faces inches apart, she stared for several seconds. While Judy decided what her reaction would be, Nick decided he would make his own theories.

 _..._

 _This is what Nick expected..._

"Dumb fox." Followed by a shove in the shoulder before the rabbit would carry on walking away like nothing happened, she would think of it as one of his many jokes without giving it proper thought and he would be no closer to teaching his goal. And he could not blame her.

 _This is what Nick hoped for..._

A quiet little giggle, looking away in embarrassment, her ears quivering slightly, a hint of red on her cheeks and then a gentle, sweet little kiss that stank of sherry on the side of the mussel followed by the sight of a snickering little bunny retreating hurriedly from the pub.

...

 _And this is what Nick got..._

Her eyes looked upon Nick with surprising intensity, but the focus of her amethyst eyes was not on his emeralds, they where on his lips. She moved forwards and there was no giggle or blush, no timidity or unease, no second thoughts or trepidation, just a kind of 'drunken brashness'.

She took a step firmly towards him reached out her small strong paws. Grabbed him firmly by the collar. Tugged him hardly towards her. Parted her lips. Stuck out her tong; and gave Nicholas Wilde the most passionate kiss of his life.

His eyes shot wide as she tugged him towards her, he opened his mouth to voice his surprise as their lips met, but only made it even easier for the small rabbit tasting tong to enter.

A tong which was now roaming the inside of his mouth, along the edges of his teeth, probing his incisors and curling around his tong. A little of her scent and her taste made it to him, but most of what he smelt and tasted was the rather copious amounts of alcohol she had been drinking.

She moaned into the kiss as she pushed her tong a little deeper, then she pushed a little more. Nick was unable to think or move as the small tong worked its way around the inside of of the furthest depths of his mouth, her hands tightly grasping the fur on the back of his neck.

She pulled back from the kiss to a loud _smack_ ing sound as they parted. She eyed the fox - statue like, apparently stuck in the moment - as she rubbed her arm across her mouth before she turned and started to walk out of the door at a steady pace.

Just as if nothing happened.

Heat rolled through Nick, boiling through his veins as he brain was both speeding fast yet unable to muster a single thought.

His eyes still wide, his mouth still open, the world started spinning slightly like it was _he_ who was drunk, or like he was about to pass out or had been holding his breath for too long. Yet it was also like he was charged with electricity, like he could leap a mountain, run the desserts, swim the seas.

Judy's kiss was both of these thing and more, he was paralyzed entirely and could have remained like that had Judy not spotted his apparent mental and physical shutdown, returned, and tugged him several times by his tie.

After about the fifth tug he slowly shifted his gaze to look at her, giggled once, then fell over backwards in a daze...

Judy sighed a single, long heavy sigh, lurched back to the bar and ordered another drink.

...

Nick knew not how long hey lay there in a blissful daze, but eventually Judy returned with a cup of water and poured it over him.

"Argk!" He yelped as he leaped up off the floor to look into Judy's impish face. "C-c-cold!" He stuttered as he pawed at his soaking shirt.

"Well then," she said as she put the cup upon a cabinet, "you'll just have to take it off then."

He glared at her for a few seconds - not entirely trusting her not to whip her phone out the moment his shirt was off - but it was soaked and they where about to go into the open, cold night air so he had little choice. It was either take off his shirt or freeze. It didn't matter too much anyway, once he had his shirt off he could put his coat on and be covered again. A smile split his muzzle as a thought came.

"You want me to do 'The Stripper' again?" He said.

"That won't be necessary... I have it on my phone."

"Wha~" Then Judy clicked a button on her phone and a saxophone jazz band started playing 'The Stripper'... Nick's ears sank, his head lowed into his shoulders in obvious embarrassment and then, with a grumble, he turned his back on her and hurriedly slipped his shirt off.

Despite the fact he did this with none of the flair of last time, Judy whopped and whistled at every move, every detail about the fox's behavior simply radiating embarrassment to the rabbit.

But a minute later and the fun was over. Nick threw his dripping shirt at the rabbit and managed to wet her slightly as payback before slipping into the warmth of his fur lined coat and doing up the zipper.

 _She had been getting just a few too many one-ups on me,_ Nick thought, _I think it's about time I got her back for a few things._

They came to the front door, keeping it closed and staying in the warmth of the porch for as long as they could before absconding to the blizzard without. The snow was coming down in near visible sheets by this point.

Snow crackled underfoot as they made a brisk march to the police cruiser as the ice below had been cored thick with snow and both mammals where glad they would soon be leaving this chilly place. Seconds later and they where within the comparative warmth of the police car, starting the engine and turning the heaters on full blast before they set off.

Nick looked at Judy from his place in the drivers seat after stopping at a red light, a grin spreading across his face as he saw her deep in licking her lips, clearly still lingering on the 'incident' they just shared.

"Taste something you like Hopps?" He asked.

She glanced over to him, the reek of the alcohol still strong. "Yea... it's you." By the way her eyes roamed the space around him without being able to actually focus, Nick guessed she had about thirty seconds of consciousness left in her. He could do just about anything he wanted and she would have no memory of it later.

"Taste good do I?"

"Hmm, not bad."

It was time to get her back. While he perfectly enjoyed what had just happened, the way it was dealt - that, and the glass of cold water and the discomfort of having to go through the stripper act in such a way - meant that, in Nick's mind, she fully deserved what was coming to her.

"However," he said, controlling his grin, "seeing as I'm a predator and you're a rabbit; it should be me tasting you."

"Well that's tough, because I-" Nick found himself no-longer able to control his grin - "What? Nick, what is it?"

And then the fox lent forwards and tasted her. Licked her with a lick her across her face: it started beneath her chin and slowly but surly worked its way up along the side of her neck in a motion that made her visibly shiver; it then worked across her soft cheek in a way that made her eyes drop shut; and then his tong slowly seeped up the length of her ear in a way that made a deep blush form on her cheeks before he sucked - just for an instant - upon the tip of that delicate ear in a way that made a soft moan escape her lips.

With a final rush he slid himself down between her ears, pushed his muzzle atop her forehead and licked her once more in the space in the top of her head between the two, cupping her warm face in both hands before lowering it against the cushioned passenger seat.

Her head instantly rolled to the side and it was clear Judy Hopps, had passed out.

The traffic light, for the second time, turned green. This time Nick, pleased with his work, his foot off the break. _Was it to much?_ He thought to himself as he drove. _Possibly, but she had it coming to her, and it's not like shes gonna remember it tomorrow._ That, you see, was the irony of the situation. As much as he enjoyed both Judy's passionate kiss in the porch of the bar and the taste of her he jsut stole... they would tournament his dreams while Judy - he was ninety percent sure - would have forgotten the whole thing come morning.

"Come on Hopps," the fox muttered to as he pulled away, "let's get you home."

...

...

 **My hearty thanks to** BluAsh54 **for pointing out that: despite the fact this story is set one year hence from the film and that it appears to be set in the summer, because all the temperatures of Zootopia are maintained for the particular animals that live their, it could have - theoretically - been set at any point in the year.**


	8. Brown Bottle Flu

Sunlight crept in through the thin curtains of the second story window and into the apartment of the rabbit, Judy Hopps. From the bottom of a well she dragged herself into consciousnesses and cracked her crusted eyes open. The blazing light shot through the window, nearly blinding her, and she let out a soft moan at how unusually bright the sun was that day.

Turning over with her eyes tightly shut, she rubbed her paws in a soothing motion across the throbbing sides of her head as she tried to leave this uncomfortably bright world and return to the darker one she occupied moments before.

Lifting her head - that alone took effort - she raised the edge of her pillow with a paw and placed her head on the bare mattress, laying the pillow atop her head. Here, between the underside of her pillow and the mattress, it was cold and dark. It was quite blissful for the rabbit in her current state and she closed her eyes again, readily returning to a state of sleep in the darkness her pillow offered.

The throbbing of her head abated as sleeps cool and soothing embrace took her. Her breaths became shallower and her heartbeat lowed before she, at last, fell from this world into sweet slumber.

 _*BEEP* ~*BEEP* ~ *BEEP* ~*BEEP*_

The unceasing 'beep' of her alarm ripped through the restful piece and smashed into her mind like a hammer pounds upon an anvil. Moaning much louder this time, almost wailing in fact, the rabbit clutched her ears over her head in an effort to drown out the sharp tone, feeling as though her head was about to split open.

Work was calling.

Moving as little as possible, she reached out a stiff arm and silenced the sinful device. _Just five more minuets._ She thought to herself. _Or five more years preferably._

Settling back a second time she reveled in the newfound silence the room had to offer. She would get up soon, go to work, but for now she would just wait a while. Sighing airily as she settled back down, she could almost feel herself drifting back to-

*BANG* ~ *BANG* ~ *BANG*

From without, someone pounded heavily upon the door. To Judy, the effect was as though the scalp of her head had been removed, and then her bare brain had been flogged by a car driving at seventy miles an hour. Or in other words: painful.

 _Is everything conspiring to make me suffer?_ Her mind huffed before she called out, "who is it?" At least, that's what she tried to call - but her actual reply was really just a muffled, "Gerwhoganan?"

The red fox waiting patiently outside was unable to hear the replying call of his partner (let alone understand it) and so, after a moment, he raised his hand back up to the door and, again, lightly tapped his knuckles upon it.

This was the second time he tapped lightly upon the door and also the second time it was received as a loud pounding noise by the hungover bunny within.

Groaning, Judy tried again to call out but choked on the dry, fowl taste of her mouth. She decided the quicker she did this the quicker it would be over, so she hauled herself from beneath the sheets of her bed and placed her feet down upon the floor.

Almost falling, she steadied herself on her cabinet and found a full glass of water which she picked up - not wondering how it came to be there - and gulped down half the contents.

She coughed twice more, than spoke. "Who is it?" This time her voice did not fail her but was still raspy, cracked and weak.

"It's me, Nick."

Despite the pain her head was giving her, she smiled at this as she looked about for something to cover herself with but soon realized that she was still wearing her cloths from yesterday (minus her coat, gloves, and so on).

At length, she manged to cross the small room which was swaying from side to side and lent against the doorframe for some seconds, breathing deeply before taking up her key and - after several unproductive attempts to put the key in the hole - unlocked the door and pulled it open.

Judy gazed at the handsome fox before her. As allays he was meticulously well groomed; every hair was in its place, brushed smooth and soft; his ZPD uniform was clean and his tie neat - but his tie was undone slightly, his collar a little askew and his shirt tucked imperfectly into his trousers - giving Nick the wonderful lop-sided charm which she loved so much.

Nick gazed at the... rabbit before him. Dressed in yesterdays creased cloths with her fur ruffed and matted, her head lowed as though her neck was afraid of the weight and with an exhausted expression. Honestly, Nick wouldn't have been surprised if she just collapsed right there and a part of himself prepared to catch her before she fell if needed. Her ears where low and her eyes baggy, her mouth sagged open and her eyes where dull, slowly blinking up at him as though still not used to the light - she was still adorable - a state - but adorable.

His eyes shifted back upwards to look the rabbit in the eye before speaking. "May I, come in?"

She blinked once, then shock herself slightly before replying. "Of course."

 _Well so much for 'my rabbit metabolism will clear it all up by morning'._ Nick thought to himself. _She's not drunk any more, but she's definitely hungover._

She stepped aside and Nick slipped in. He heard the door shut behind him as he crossed the room towards the half-glass of water still on the cabinet - glad that there was still water in it so he didn't have to go to the bathroom for more - as he reached into a pocket and pulled out a box.

He sat down on the side of Judy's bed and placed the box from his pocket on the table, keeping his actions quiet for Judy's sake, as he heard her walking back towards him. A smile set upon his muzzle at what happened next.

Judy, quite exhausted from crossing the room twice, shifted back onto the bed and sat just behind Nick before resting her weight against her fox. To hungover to really care what he might think, she lent fully into him with a paw resting on his left shoulder and her head resting on his right. Her eyes closed, huffing heavily into his side.

Smiling at the intimate familiarity she must feel for her to be comfortable to do such a thing, he raised one paw from fiddling with the small box and gently stroked the soft fur on her cheek. She released a small _hmm_ at his soothing touch before he spoke, keeping his words soft for obvious reasons.

"This your first time?" He asked.

"First time what?"

"Your first hangover."

"I... I'm not hungover."

He rolled his eyes and tutted silently at her indignant reply, then stopped rubbing her cheek, moved his paw before her face, and clicked his fingers once.

The unhappy groan she released at the sharp sound the act caused (a sound which would be of no moment to most 'non-hungover' mammals) was proof enough for both of them and she huffed again before sheltering from the light of the world by pushing her head into Nick's soft-brushed neck.

As much as Nick would have liked to have sat there all day feeling the warmth of Judy's body against his and the tickle of her breath against his neck, he knew that the one of the few things Judy hated more than being late was not turning up at all, so she would probably be insistent upon the point of going to work despite her many ailments.

And that while she was in no fit state to work like this, Bogo would not allow an officer to have the day off because they where hungover. Although, if Nick took Judy in, not only would Bogo see how bad Judy was and probably send her home, but _Judy_ would see how bad she was and agree she was in no fit state to work... rather than sit at home, blaming Nick all day.

So to keep up good relations with Bogo - and to satisfy Judy's sense of promptitude - Nick carried on with his original plan despite the fact it went against everything he wanted.

Opening the small cardboard box he pulled the half-glass of water closer. The sound the glass made is it dragged along the imitation wood startled Judy into opening her eyes and looking up.

Over his shoulder, she saw him take out a packet of pills from the box and pop two out of the metallic foil that covered them. After popping them out into his paw, he dropped them into what was left of the glass of water and they immediately started to fizz.

Picking up the glass, Nick swirled it several times before raising it towards Judy's head.

"Gulp it all down," he said as she took it, "it won't clear everything but, it'll help."

"Thanks." She replied before tipping it back. She swallowed several mouthfuls of the rather repugnant tasting liquid, then swallowed the two pills with her last mouthful.

Moving off him and setting her empty glass upon the counter, Judy pretended to choke on the pills a little, mimicking a spluttering sound.

Nick fell for the act and shifted around to place his paw delicately upon her back, rubbing his warm, firm padded hands across her in a way which was as soothing as Judy hopped it would be. Nick didn't stop rubbing her back even after she stopped pretending to choke. Judy didn't mind his touch in the slightest as his paw continued rubbing up, then down the length of her spine with its own accompanying tingle of pleasure.

A few seconds later she gave in absolutely. She slid sideways from sitting upright to lying against Nick's chest, almost in his lap. The fox stared in surprise for a couple of seconds, but then wrapped his arms around her in a tender hug as Judy huffed heavily before closing her eyes, the throbbing in her head somehow soothed by his touch.

Nick breathed slowly, relaxed considerably by his embrace with Judy, feeling her chest slowly rise and fall with every breath through the arms he had wrapped around her before, slowly, lowering his muzzle to rest on her head, between her ears with his eyes closed likewise.

"Nick..." She said at length.

"Yes, Hopps." Nick replied, opening his eyes, his voice a low whisper against her ear.

"Was it you who got me the water?" She asked, waving a loose limb towards the now empty glass.

"Yea. I hope you don't mind: I had to go through your pockets for the key."

"I didn't get it for you?"

"No, well... you where asleep at the time so you couldn't have."

She opened her eyes and looked up. Nick raised his muzzle to see her properly.

"You carried me up here?"

"Hah," he chuckled, keeping his volume low, "I didn't have much choice. Even if you _where_ awake, you'd had so much to drink you'd have needed carrying anyway."

She chuckled slightly in return. "So, look, I can't remember anything of last night beyond my - I think - third glass of - of..." she lowered her head again, rubbing her aching eyes with a paw. "Of _whatever_ it was I was drinking last night."

"Huh. Well, we didn't leave until you'd finished your fifth. Do you remember anything past that?"

"Erm. No."

"Nothing... in the porch?"

"Nooo?"

"Nothing... at the red light we pulled up at on that small road just across from the pub?"

"Why, what happo-"

"Nothing. Just, you can't remember, right?"

"No." She said pointedly. "I doubt it anyway, it's hard to know what you've forgotten if you don't remember it." She sat up at this, Nick allowed her up as soon as he felt her tugging against his arms and sat up after she stood.

Judy decided she felt better than she did and, while the light was still somewhat painful, the dizziness had reduced and she felt a lot more alert.

"Okay," Judy said as she unzipped her jacket, removed it and threw it over Nick's face (and eyes) before walking over to her wardrobe, facing away from the fox and slipping out of her shirt. "You know the drill."

Not understanding the rabbit, Nick took her jacket away from his face to see what she meant... and for a beautiful, amazing, heart-pounding second: Nick had full view of Judy's bare back - naked to the room - her blueish grey fur glowed silver and her sharply shoulders and trim waist was a very satisfying sight indeed.

As soon as he had processed what he was looking at - which, admittedly, took longer than it should have - Nick turned away. He didn't see anything 'sensitive', just her back, but it was still enough to set his heart thumping in his ears, blushing hard and resisting the urge to pant to reduce the flush of heat which was rolling through him.

Judy was completely unaware of this as she pulled on her blue ZPD issue shirt and did the buttons up.

It was even less helpful to Nick when he realized - in his haste to turn his back for the sake of his partners privacy - that his hand had slipped down, into the sheets of the bed where he was now able to feel the warm patch on the mattress Judy had left from her nights sleep.

Judy asleep, he decided, was probably the cutest thing imaginable. Honestly, he hopped he should be able to see it first hand some day, close up.

...

Dressed fully, Judy padded across the room towards the fox who was sat on her bed - hand, for some reason, tucked beneath the sheets - staring concentratedly at the wall. He appeared to be in thought for he did not hear her cross to him, so she tugged him once by his tie.

He turned to see her smiling face. "Feeling better?" He asked after a moments delay.

"Yep," she replied, "much better." She passed him and threw open the curtains... something she immediately regretted as the golden light flooded in making her physically stumble away from the window as her paws dragged her ears over her eyes in a bid to block out the light.

Nick threw the curtains shut again. He crossed over to the rabbit, took his aviator sunglasses from a pocket and handed them two her.

"...thanks." She said as she took the glasses from him.

"Well you seem less vague and hazy, but you're definitely not well. I hope Bogo gives us somewhere dark and quiet to work."

"I hope so too... and thanks for the water, and carrying me up here, and everything Nick."

"Don't worry Hopps, you know I enjoy catering to the needs of a dumb bunny like yourself."

She grinned at his affectionate insult - for affectionate it was despite the fact it was an insult at core - and spoke with just a little trepidation in her voice, her hands clasped behind her back, rocking on her feet.

"And, I got you a Christmas present!"

The fox grinned, tussling her ears. "Aww, thanks Hopps! I got you one to, but it's too big to carry from my place to here, so it's still round mine."

"Don't worry, that's okay, you didn't have to get me anything anyway." She handed him his gift. It was small, flat and rectangular. About three inches across and only a couple of inches high and quite thin. It wasn't paper thin, about three millimeters, and it was - for its size - quite heavy. Investigating a little more he found it to be partly flimsy - not flexible - but it did bend and return to its original shape easily.

"We better get to roll-call though," Judy said, "so... open it later, okay?"

"Okay Hopps, and thank you."

With that, Judy reopened the door and stepped out. After Nick followed she shut the door and locked it, together they left the building. When they reached the fount door and the light from the sun which was painful to the hungover bunny became a problem, Judy waited until she knew Nick was watching and then opened his black reflective sunglasses with a stylish flick of the wrist before putting them on. Just as he had done not one day before.

"Come on, _Slick_." Nick said, grinning in recondition of the action. "Or you might make us late again."

With that they set off, instantly engrossed in a conversation revolving around the point of, naturally, the fact that they weren't late and exactly _whose_ fault it was they nearly where.


	9. Work related Woe

Hungover rabbit and sober fox walked their routine walk to the ZPD. It was a bright and rather hot day in precinct one, and the streets where busy with mammals from all walks of life, each busy with their own world, alone, lost in the masses. Had the towering skyscrapers of Zootopia not blocked their line of sight, Nick and Judy might have spotted the large grey clouds gathering in the distance, slowly but inexorably being carried across to them by a soft wind.

Reaching a 'large black and white stripes' crossing (a method pedestrians use to cross roads safely - once known as zebra crossings but renamed for for speciesest reasons) Nick pushed the button for the traffic to stop.

After a moment, the continual line of traffic which ran from dawn till dusk, the commute of hundreds of workers, the lives of thousands of mammals was halted - for the sake of just two. No one ever wondered why or how, no one ever thought that it was wrong that a line of a dozen cars should wait for the sake of just two mammals, nor did they question how incredible it was that they did. The masses, nameless and faceless, simply followed the rules of convention without ever questioning it, or even realizing there was something to question.

This, truly, is the clockwork markings of a well run city - where 'the people' follow not only the rules of the law, but of convention, willingly and silently, each and every day of their lives - all of them are but sheep are sheep (even the lions); ruled by convention, lead by the subtle hand of the governance.

Not everyone was so bound by convention, of course. Some mammals thought themselves above the law and would occasionally try to go against it, breaking convention, to suit their own ends... such mammals **will** , sooner or later, find themselves face to face with an officer of the law.

Nick and Judy walked in silence, their badges glinting in the early morning sun. They walked in silence because, aside from her sensitivity to light which Nick's sunglasses had cured, the only thing Nick's pills hadn't cured was Judy's sensitivity to volume, so he kept quiet, knowing every sound was troublesome for her.

However, after checking the time on his phone he did speak, leaning down to her ear so he could keep his voice as low as possible.

"I don't want to hurry you, Hopps," he said, "but we only have like two minuets before roll-call."

"Alright," she said in return, "we're nearly there now anyway."

They picked up the pace for the last leg of the journey and stepped into the established building of the ZPD. "Hey, guys!" Clawhauser shouted as they appeared through the door, "I just heard this new Gaze-" but he was interrupted by Nick's frantic expression as he waved his arms horizontally before his own neck in a 'cut it out' gesture.

Clocking the rabbits sunglasses and realizing she must be suffering from last night, the cheetah ' _ooh_ 'ed silently as he sat back in his chair, trying his best not to find the oversized shades meant for a fox-sized head cute on the rabbit... and failing.

The fox winked at him as he lead Judy towards the Bull-pen, walking just behind Judy with his paws lightly resting on her shoulders.

Sat together - sharing a seat in the front of the Bull-Pen in a room full of rowdy officers, shouting, hooting, and bellowing - Judy struggled to keep her moans of agony silent as the insistent noise grated on her ears. Spotting the signs, Nick slipped a red-furred arm around her waist. Judy found the touch soothing, as contact with Nick allays was, but it was short lived as the coming of Bogo was declared and Nick hastily pulled his arm away.

As the volume of the room increased Judy physically clutched at the side of her skull and when Bogo stormed into the room and bellowed: "Shut it!" at the top of his voice, her head fell to the table, accompanied by a thin moan.

The noise caught Chief Bogo's attention and, glowering, he lent in on their table, shifting close to Judy's head as it lay upon it. "Got something to say, Hopps?" He said, not lowering the volume of his voice.

Judy did not look up and her only reply was a soft gurgle. Bogo glanced from Judy to the fox. "First time." Nick mouthed, then mimed chugging back a large glass of alcohol. "Actually I was wondering, sir," he said softly, "if you would conciser sending her home for the day."

Bogo stood upright, his volume at its usual high level. "It is not my problem if my officers can't hold their liquor, Wilde. Now, where was I?" With that he returned to his usuial position, handing out the relivent files to the officers in question.

"Oh yes. Fangmeyer and Delgato, the Mayor has asked I send some officers from school to school to deliver a talk about drug safty - this will be your responsibility. Grizzoli, you and Snarlov are to patrol the east boarder of the Rainforrest District - there's been a lot of reported dealings from that area.

"Wolfard, you're to tail a suspected drug dealer. If you see him making a deal, call in and intercept. Trunkaby, Higgins, McHorn and Rhinowitz; I want you four in tactical armor in half an hour for a drugs bust here in precinct one. If our sources are correct, we've got an entire flat full of crack cocaïne, right under our noses. Brake in, and clear it out."

Taking the files, the last of the officers made they way out.

"And now, officers Hopps, and Wilde..." he waited several seconds longer, until the last of the officers had filed out of the room, leaving them alone. "Good work on the arson case at 'Ladders'," he said, his voice in tones more bearable to the rabbit. "I have _officially_ assigned you two to investigate it. If you can find the arsonist and bring him in, it won't only look good on your report, but it'll give me some good backing to push for detective with."

"Thank you sir." Judy said, lifting her head from the desk, the news promising enough for her to make the effort. "We'll do our very best, I promise."

The Chief smiled a thin smile at them then spoke, his voice rich with a rare show of affection. "From you two? I would expect nothing less." Then he grunted - either _realizing_ how familiar he was behaving or deciding they'd hand enough - and returned to his status of 'The Chief', his voice returning to its usual professional tones.

"Dismissed."

Both officers saluted, then departed from the room. Nick pushed the door open for Judy and stepped aside, allowing her to go through first, before stepping out himself.

"And Wilde?" Bogo called, sat behind his desk, making the fox freeze at the doorway. "You still owe me that overtime."

Nick winced and turned to the Chief, seeing him absently flicking through some files. "Erm... yes - yes sir." Biting his lip, Nick turned, and followed Judy. Was agreeing to unpaid overtime worth it for an evening off with Judy? Absolutely. Did he still hate filling out paperwork, especially when he wasn't even getting paid? Yes.

Watching his reaction through the corner of his eyes, Bogo waited until the door was shut, and then grinned at the foxes reaction. Chuckling as he sat back in his desk, his eyes fell upon the two foot stack of paperwork _he_ had to fill-in and his mood was instantly soured.

Working with schools allays required a lot of paperwork, and the number of schools Fangmeyer and Delgato would be going to at such short notice was of no help. But that was nothing compared with the amount of paperwork required for a drugs bust - perdition to use the tactical armor alone took a great deal filling-in...

Sighing bitterly, Bogo picked up the first sheet of paper from the stack and looked at what it was for ...and, to top it all off, he had to get it varied that he was giving two officers below the rank of detective, detective level work. Pulling out his pen, he made ready to write.

After a minuet of not writing a thing and staring at the pile of paper, Bogo set his pen back down - music for motivation, that's what he needed - and so, pulling out his phone, he opened his music selection, went to 'G'... and started listening to his favorite albums muttering the words under his breath as he wrote.

 _'I messed up tonight, I lost another fight...'_

...

For the second time, the husk of Ladders and Ladders and Co. came into view as Nick drove their ZPD cruiser towards the scene. Judy was in the front passenger seat, with the back down to lye against the seat with Nick's glasses still over her head.

The car pulled to a stop and Nick looked upon the building before him.

The clean-up crew where in full operation, a couple of small news teams where present and filming them.

And then, Nick looked upon the rabbit beside him.

A smile crept across his face as he heard the rhythmic breathing of sleep with her mouth hanging slightly opwn. Lowering the back of his seat, he shifted himself so his head was more or less level with the rabbits. With a tender paw, he reached out and slid the glasses away from Judy's eyes to better see her adorable face. Putting his glasses on the dashboard, he reached out with his paw again and, in a gesture even more tender than the last, he stroked the very tip of Judy's nose with the back of a finger, loving the soft smile which crept across her face.

Then finally, silently, Nick leaned across, and took in a breath of Judy's scent...  
...it wasn't the kiss Judy was hoping for while pretending to be asleep, but it'd do.

Then Nick got out of the car, opening and shutting the door quietly enough so as not to wake the rabbit - but she was already awake so opened her eyes with a start as she realized he had left.

"Nick?" She called as she got out of the car seconds later. The fox turned to her, smiling, before he spoke.

"Stay here, Judy." Nick said. "Bogo doesn't have to know his favorite officer spent the day sleeping off a hangover in a police car."

"No, Nick. I wan't to come with you." She walked to stand by his side as he replied.

"Sleep it off, Carrots." Nick said, his voice becoming more stubborn. "You'll feel better if you just rest; I don't like to see you struggling."

Judy noticed the change in Nick voice, and her tone became slightly more resentful. "Nick, I'm fine."

Then he groaned, rubbing his forehead with a paw. "Why can't you just take my advice, Hopps?" Judy was startled as his voice was suddenly strained and bitter, as he huffed and turned away.

"...what?"

"Just take my advice!" He called over his shoulder.

"But... I want to be with you!" She called, but Nick was too far gone, marching away with his hands shoved in his pockets as he made his way to the burnt-out factory.

The truth of it was she didn't want to sleep because moments like this where special to her.

At the end of the day, when her time for work was over and she found herself with nothing to do until work started again, she could sleep... but not now.

While it was true that 'at moments when she was sat on her bed, waiting for the day to end, board out of her skull' she did realist she had no life outside her work... it was at moments like 'this' that she realized just how lucky she was. If she had Nick, the most mundane tasks became enjoyable. If she had Nick, she could face each and every day with a smile on her face. If she had Nick, she could make do without hobbies or interests, make do without places to go and without the opportunity to visit family members... just so long as she had Nick, she could be happy.

Every moment she and Nick shared together where special to her... and she was _not_ going to lose a second of it just because she had a hangover.

A fresh resolve coming - which resolved the fear that she had upset her friend and that she should do as he said to appease him - a smile spread on her face and she ran on her silent padded feat to catch up to the fox, locking the car as she ran.

Nick grumbled to himself as he reach the half way mark between the car and Ladders and Ladders. But the subject of his grumbles where not upon the rabbit, they where upon himself. He didn't like raising his voice against Judy like that - in fact, he hated it - but Judy didn't know when to stop and take a breath and he had to raise his voice to get her to listen.

He was so deep in thought that he no idea of the rabbit racing up behind him. Several paces behind, a grin on her face, running fast; Judy leaped up through the air, launching herself at Nick. She leaped and wrapped her legs around his neck, putting her paws over his eyes as he stumbled, yelling in surprise, as he tripped to the floor.

Landing on the pads of his hands without injury, Nick quickly realized what happened and twisted his body, taking hold of one of Judy's paws and pivoting her off his shoulder. She ' _eep'_ ed as she was flipped beneath him but - as he came closer while baring his teeth playfully, pretending he was about to bite her throat - Judy raised a powerful shove in the stomach and he was sent flying up and, surprisingly, ended up on his feet.

"Come on, Nick!" She called playfully, standing and racing towards the door, giggling. "Last one in is a shifty fox!"

He laughed outwardly as he set running after her, he could never be mad at her.


	10. Ashes and Trust

**Hello fine viewers. I do not often frequent the use of the 'authors note' - as you well know - as I believe that what I have to say is of significantly lesser importance to that which the story has to say. This, however, is an exception. As the tenth chapter of Paw in Paw, I believe we have reached a mile-stone. So, with this in mind, I would just like to thank all throws who have followed and supported this story and particularly throws with whom I have had stimulating conversation.**

 **Speaking of which, if anyone has any questions, thoughts or pieces of advice to offer (or if you simply wish to discus the unusually high temporal climate in Germany at the moment) then do not hesitate to PM me or to write your words in a review. As a point of honour, I will answer all which is scent too me (so long as I have something to say, that is) but bare in mind I only have reliable internet access on Fridays and Saturdays so replies may take a little time.**

 **Thank you again to all throws who have followed (or just have a passing interest in) this story and I hope you all enjoy this: the denary chapter of 'Paw in Paw'.**

 **~ Yours sincerely, ~  
** **~ Mister Smail. ~**

* * *

The particles of ash, which the air was thick with, shone up bright in the beams of light which filtered through the many broken windows in the old abandoned factory. Officer Hopps and Wilde walked - their footsteps quiet for how silent it was - as they searched the first floor of the burnt remains of the building.

"It's kinda eerie, isn't it. Don't you think?" Asked the rabbit as she lent down with a torch to examine the broken glass by one of the windows. "It's so quiet, and dark." Despite the fact the early morning sun was shining through the empty window frames, apart from where the light directly fell, the room was otherwise dark.

"You have a right to be scared..." Judy looked over her shoulder at Nick - his tone dark - to see him stood dramatically (a little overly-so) in the darkness, with the left half of his face bathed in strong light. "It's the old ghost, you see. The man who first started Ladders and Ladders was insane. When the company was going down the slide, in debt beyond recovery, he hung himself... using one of his own ladders."

He stood tall and intimidating in the blackness of the room as he started to slowly pace forwards, the light that was on his face disappearing, he became but a menacing silhouette... Judy was _nearly_ half-impressed.

"and now," he continued, "they say his ghost wanders the factory, coxing all who enter to take a ladder or two before they leave. Some do, but they all come to a terrible end; it's fine if they use the ladder in the daytime, but,"

With that he leaped forwards so he was towering over Judy, his paws high with his black claws glinting as he bellowed, "but **BOO** , IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT!"

He held that pose for several seconds as the rabbit gazed, nonplussed, up at him.

"...was even a word of that true?"

"No, Hopps." He shrugged. "Not a word." They stood or (in Judy's case) crouched there for a few seconds, looking at each other. Nick returned to a normal pose, scratched his neck, then cleared his throat. "Find something?"

"Yes." She said turning back to the glass. "Look at this glass; it's all smashed just like the rest of the windows on this building, but this one has been smashed 'in'. The rest of the windows are smashed 'out', assumably from the heat of the fire, but I would say this has been broken by someone on the outside... and by looking at the patterns of the cracks, I'd say it was done with a single heavy impact, rather than intense heat."

"Something, like this?" Nick said, picking up a heavy, fist-sized object he had just stubbed his foot on in the darkness.

It was a rock. He rubbed the side of the rock between thumb and four finger. In truth, the rock was an old brick and a piece of the rubble crumbled off into his fingers.

"Yeah," said the rabbit, "that would do it. Can you tell anything from it?"

He crumbled off a little more rubble - which was cement attached to the brick - and looked closer at it, rolling it through his fingers. "It's old," he said, "and quite a bit bigger than most building bricks."

"It's for industrial use, then?"

"I should think so. And..." he sniffs, then leans closer into the rock and sniffs again. "...and, a scent?" Judy watches with interest (and more than a little ore) at the fox's exceptional sent of smell - which was very attuned, even by fox standards - as he turned the brick over in his hands. It was as though his nose acted on its own as it moved across the brick to find a part of it which must have smelt particularly strong to that fine, strong nose (which Judy had realized one day was actually a very deep shade of purple... 'much like her eyes' as Nick had said).

"Wait - I recognize..." He starts back from the rock, nearly dropping it, as his expression of thought turns into that of surprise. "Finnick?"

"For real? You have to be sure; we can't investigate further on just a possible hunch, especially when the scent could belong to any of a hundred other anim-"

Hopps," he said firmly, "Fin has a very distinct smell - kind of a mix between testosterone and crack cocaïne." He turns the brick over in his hands. "This is _definitely_ him."

"Finnick does drugs?"

"Carrots... me and Fin lived off the same income for years - and yet I have a decent flat in a nice part of town, and he lives in the back of a van. Where did you think his money went?"

"Ohh - I see." An uneasy silence fell. "Did... did you ev-"

"No, don't."

"Well which, Nick? _'No'_ you didn't or _'No, don't'_ ask."

"Just _leave it_ , Carrots."

"Nick, look, what's in the past doesn't-"

"Judy."

She stopped - instantly - and gazed up at his somber expression to see him slowly shakes his head once from left to right, before his lips moved and he spoke again, his voice soft and controlled... but Judy could tell by his eyes how he was really feeling.

"All I want to say, for now, is that no good ever comes of drugs. It tore my family apart, it tore my life apart, and then, it _tried_ to tare ' _me_ ' apart.

She stared, lost, in his emerald eyes. His eyes, which usually radiated such warmth and compassion, where cold and distant, and deeply, deeply pained. There was so much hurt concealed and locked up in those eyes at that moment, Judy felt a shiver run through her as a dozen dark thoughts flashed to the forefront of her mind.

Thoughts provoked by the words Nick had just spoken, and all of the possible implications thereof. She had often wondered about Nick's past and, clearly, had sub-consciously thought up as dozen of possibilities which appeared ' _almost confirmed_ ' by what he had said became visualized before her. The thoughts of the past which passed through Judy's mind... and looking into the pained eyes of the fox whose past it actually _was_ , proved too much for the empathetic rabbit to manage.

She... she could not face him.

"Come on," she said briskly, "lets go check out the 'point of origin'."

She turned and headed towards the door, leaving before Nick could get a word out. Her pace was hurried but steady, and the way her head lowered slightly to meet the back of a paw which was raised to wipe something from her eyes - spoke volumes to Nick about how she had taken it.

 _About as bad as I thought she would._ Nick sighed. _She is a 'very' emotional bunny._

He knew he should go to comfort her and he would - soon - he needed a minute. Just a little time on his own for him to calm, and _then_ he would sort things out with Judy... but then, from some ways up the staircase, Nick heard a sound which almost broke his heart: a single, quiet, suppressed sob.

 _Don't you dare Nick, don't you dare 'take a minute. Judy needs you now. Go, go to her._

...

Judy could feel herself shivering, and knew that trying to take another step would be pointless, and so remained still, two thirds of the way up of the flight of stairs to the third floor.

She sniffed loudly and raised a paw to wipe away yet another tear which was forming - she was going to start crying for real in a few seconds.

She couldn't stop the montage of images playing through her mind - things she didn't even have any proof happened: _the thought of young Nick, cowering and crying outside the Cub Scouts club; the image of him standing alone at his parents funeral; the sense of how lonely, depressed and hopeless life must have been to him as a teenager. The first time be broke the law, the first time he outright conned a good mammal out of his money, the first time he took drugs (if he ever did, that is), the first night in a prison cell, the first~_

Though these last points where less significant than the first (with 'his mothers funereal' outweighing 'the first time he conned'), Judy knew that - under his impeccable mask of emotional stability - everything he had ever done in his early life: every con, lie and cheat; had chipped away at his self-respect... leaving him almost soulless.

Lost, unhappy, alone. Set to wonder the streets; alone in a crowd; lost in familiar territory and spending everyday telling himself life was good and he was happy just because he couldn't face the fact that his life... was less then pointless.

With these thoughts passing through her mind - such dark, terrible thoughts about the kind, sweet fox that she loved - it was no wonder Judy was now in tears.

...

The fox stood at the bottom of the staircase looking up at the sight before him. His ear twitched as he heard her take in another sad sniff and then, after a long and silent sigh, he slowly climbed the steps towards her.

...

Judy felt the paw on her shoulder and knew instantly it was Nick - only he could be so gentle and tender - but a paw on the shoulder wasn't enough. She needed more, damn it... besides that _'Nick'_ needed more!

She half-turned to face him, putting her paws around his waist and pressing her head into his chest.

The fox reacted instantly and wrapped his arms full around her. The warmth of his body, his musky scent, was almost unnaturally comforting to the rabbit. And the warmth of the bunny body pressing against him, her sweet earthy smell, provided a great deal of comfort to Nick too.

Not letting go of his waist, Judy wiped her eyes against Nick's blue shirt.

"How are y' hanging, little Bunbun?"

"Your life-story is sad," she muttered. Nick chuckled heartlessly.

"I know Hopps - bereave me, I know - but it's the only one I've got. Besides" he added after a moment, pulling Judy just a little closer into him, "it may have started pretty badly, but it's improved a _Hell_ of a lot this last year or so."

"Anyway," she huffed, though already in a better mood than before, "of course I'm okay. It should be me asking you that."

"I know Jules," he said, raising a paw to caress the back of Judy's head, rubbing it in a soothing motion and loving the small contented ' _hmm_ ' she hummed at his doing so (quite unaware that the main reason she ' _hmm'_ ed was because he had used _that_ name again). His mood soured as he thought back to what had caused her upset in the first place... his past. There was something he had to tell her, now. He shied.

"Look, Judy, let me get this straight. You've known me more than long enough to know that I don't talk about my past... to anyone... ever. Most of the time it's simply because I don't trust them enough - I'm worried they'd mock me or something stupid - otherwise there's just no need for them to know. But for you it's - you know - it's _different_."

He looked down to her to see her tear-bleary amethysts looking back. Her eyes where wide and her pupils dilated. Her expression was mostly blank - as she listened closely, hanging on every word he spoke - but twitched with emotion, pure emotion, emotion she was feeling only for him and only because of him.

It was sweet, it was kind, it was patient, caring and understanding... and It reminded Nick a grate deal of that moment on the Gondola... that moment when he first realized he loved her.

"I... I don't _'not tell you'_ because I don't trust you or something -" He continued "- I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone. But I _'don't tell you'_ because I don't want to hurt you, emotionally. I know I joke about it sometimes but you really are an emotional bunny, and I'd hate to see you taring yourself apart for something that happened to me. Even with how I... how I **feel** a - a - about you," _(damn it Nick, you're not even admitting how you feel to her and you're choking up... you're really gonna screw-up bad when you finally get the guts to tell her)_ "I still don't want to recite parts of it willingly. So, you know, _you_ don't want to know (even if you think you do), and _I_ don't want to tell you so... shall we just leave it at that?"

Judy groaned just a little, then rubbed her forehead with the palm of her paw, before letting her head fall back against Nick's chest. "I d'know, Nick," she said. "I can't think right at the moment; my head feels like it's been smashed with a mallet... and now my heart feels like it's been turned to lead." Judy breathed again, her tears all gone as she pushed her head firmer into his chest which was soft and warm, even covered with his shirt... she would love to feel how soft and warm his chest would be _without_ the shirt though.

Both felt much better than that had after their talk, and Nick's green eyes, again, where full of compassionate love as they looked towards the rabbit in his arms.

Wrapping his arms closer around her, he raised the angle of her head slightly more and moved his muzzle a little closer to hers. "Well, I have something that'll lighten your mood." Judy gazed up, lost in the warmth of his emerald eyes. She felt her breath hitch and knew she was about to start shivering with the anticipation. Lowering her eyelids slightly, she allowed her lips to part - just a little - in preparation for what was, surly, to come...

...and then Nick ruined everything with his next two words.

"A joke!"

The sweet little smile she was wearing fell... "Nick, now's really not the time to-"

"So, one day two carrots, who were best friends, were walking together down the road."

" _Nick,_ I-"

"They stepped off the curb and a speeding car came around the corner and ran one of them over."

"Nick, this really isn't-"

"The uninjured carrot called 911 and helped his injured friend as best he was able."

"Your not even listing to me, are-"

"The injured carrot was taken to emergency at the hospital and rushed into surgery, and after a long and agonizing wait..."

She shied. "Well..?"

"The doctor finally appeared. He told the uninjured carrot, I have good news, and I have bad news. The good news is that your friend is going to pull through."

"Oh God, I know where this is going."

"The bad news is that he's going to be a vegetable for the rest of his life(!)"

At his laughter - and Judy's lack thereof - she turned to walk away from him. Nick laughed even louder at the scowl she wore as she did so and clutched her closer to himself, leaning forwards to tussle at her ears.

Before he could to this, however, her elbow came back and introduced itself to his gut and his gut responded with making the fox bend double before the rabbit - and her elbow - marched off up the stairs... but, if anything, her reaction only amused him further and he found himself in the unusual situation of being hunched over with a paw to his chest in pain, whilst winded, and also laughing so much at the hilarity of the situation he could hardly think.

His laughing showing no signs of stopping, Judy turned at the top of the stairs to shout, "Nick, for crying out loud, get a fluffing hold on yourself!"

"H-h-h-Hey!" Nick wheezed, short of breath (in part because of his profuse laughing and in part because of he blow to his stomach), "w-watch the language, f-f-Fluffbutt!"

...

Shortly after, both he and Judy were stood on the forth floor and pulling away the crumbly and dirty pieces of wood (which had burnt down to the consistency of charcoal) in the center of the room.

This large pile of wood (several feet across and several feet high), as the point of origin, was where the most information about the fire could - supposedly - be found and so, with this in mind, they set about clearing the pile, tugging away at the large heap in the center of the room to see if there was anything of interest beneath.

"You really expect to find anything in here?" Nick asked, pulling away yet another sizable piece of blackened charcoal. "We already found the incendiary device."

"Nick, we have to be thorougher with this," said Judy, pulling off a piece of burnt wood from the opposite side, "you heard what Bogo said, 'if we do a good job here, it'll help us get _detective."_

He pulled up another piece, and started lifting it towards him. "I know, it's just-" The wood, mere charcoal after the fire, splintered and then collapsed into him, enveloping him in a cloud of black ash.

"Urghh! _Urgh_ - _no_. I'm getting covered in this stuff, _argh_ , God's sake!" He threw down what was left of the wood he was holding and started frantically patting and ruffing up his fur, trying to remove that which he could (which wasn't much). "Hopps, this grit has worked right down to my skin; have you got any how hard it is to shift grime embedded like this?"

"Nick," she said flatly, "I grew up on a _farm_."

 _Okay, fair point._ Nick thought, before asking,

"Well... well then how did you get clean?"

"Well we all used communal showers back in Bunnyburrow - the best way to get clean is to have someone else with you to help you - we would wash one anothers backs, scrub right down to the skin and help get up a good sud with the soap." She just dropped the next words in, an offhand comment, as though it was nothing...

"I'll come and have my shower with you, if you like, and give you a hand getting clean."

The image which flashed into Nick's mind, froze him.

 _He and Judy where stood in a tiled room - unmistakably a bathroom. Neither he nor Judy had any cloths on, but were none the less quite comfortable to stand against one another, their bodies pressing together in the hot, steamy room. They stood close, very close, beneath the shower head which bathed them in soft, watery heat. Nick tenderly wrapped his arms around Judy's neck to gently massage soap into her shoulders and back. Judy's small paws worked suds deeper into the fur on Nick's chest - the suds thickening - her hands moved lower, lower **... lower.**_

"Nick? N _iii~iii_ ck? Nick!"

Judy poked Nick in the chest for a fourth time. "Hey, Nick!" She called, louder than before. He blinked, then looked down at her.

 _Now, what's got his tail wagging like that?_ Judy thought coyly (fully aware of what must, surly, be going through Nick's mind) as she turned side-on from him to carry on clearing the burnt wood. She smiled at him, but he only gave her an odd stair in return. She thought for something to say, hoping to move on from the silence.

Thinking quickly, she took in his appearance - the perfectly groomed fox Judy saw when she opened the door that morning, replaced with a scruffy fox with patchy black fur, blunted nails, soot embedded features and a tail which looked about as light and fluffy as a bucket of water.

"You know," she said, "that's quite a fashion scene you've got there, ol' Nickey boy!"

Judy hoped that this comment would strike up a conversation which would not only move them away from this silence, but also give them some fun banter to play around with whist working. So long, that is, as Nick took the offer and engaged in the banter... which, as always, he did.

"It's the latest fashion you know," he said with an uppity voice and a 'too good for you' expression. "I can't expect you to keep up with it all - but black patches of soot and horribly matted fur is really _'in'_ , this season. Did I tell you I've been asked to attend a fashion show this weekend? I'll have to clear it with my secretary, obviously, but I _might_ attend."

Grinning, the rabbit went along with the performance. "If you're not to busy having your nails filed by one of the many foxy ladies you have your eye on at the moment."

 _Well, there is one foxy lady I like the look of,_ Nick thought to himself, _but in this instance 'fox' is only used metaphorically, because physically... she be a rabbit._

"Quite," he said, with little option to say anything else without openly admitting his affections for his partner of stunted height there and then. Picking up another piece of rubble, he set back to work as he continued his 'Rich, arrogant, fashion-eccentric billionaire' play-act with Judy.

Without looking away from the fox, Judy pulled another piece of wreckage from the pile.  
The fox took a double take at what she held... and then she saw his face turn to a look of shock and horror as his ears shot flat against his head, his tail stood erect, the fur on his neck bristled, eyes wide, mouth open and sucking in a gasp of air...

Judy's eyes, after a moment of confusion, darted to that which she held.

"Aaaaghh!"

Recoiling from the object, it dropped to the floor and she sprang away, utterly shocked by what it was...

A fresh, skeletal, limb.


	11. Scales of Injustice

**I cannot apologize enough for the 26th word of the 59th paragraph of the previous chapter. Let it be known that Nick was** _ **not**_ **covered in his own excrement and that I merely missed the letter** _ **'r'**_ **from** _ **'shirt'**_ **. Still, could be worse, I missed the** _ **'o'**_ **off** _ **'count'**_ **from a monograph I wrote once and that went down pretty badly...**

* * *

It's amazing: the sobering effects of discovering a corps.

Forget Hair-of-the-dog, forget drinking water and eating greasy foods, forget headache pills, coffee, any hangover away' pills you care to mention and going for a run... if you really want to clear away a hangover, suddenly discover the chard, skeletal remains or a corps.

"God's Bones!" Judy cried, wiping her paw furiously off on her vest - trying to remove as much 'burnt dead-person' as she could. "It's murder!?" Nick was frozen, unable to think or move as he stared at the limb as Judy pulled out her police radio. "This is Hopps reporting from 'Ladders'," she called - not shouting, but definitely louder than usual, "Clawhauser, put me through to Bogo."

"On it." Came Clawauser's reply. A moment of static, and then,

"Officer Hopps, this is Bogo. What's your status?"

"We just found a body sir; buried beneath a pile of wood at the point of origin."

"Rodger that, Hopps. Sending you backup now. Can you identify the bodies gender or species?"

"Its, err-" she leaned to get a closer look at what little she could see "-unknown at this time, sir."

"Alright. Try and determine their species; backup's inbound."

"Copy."

She returned the receiver, breathed deeply, then turned to Nick.

"...Nick?" He was stock still, so she called again. "Nick." An ear flicked. "Nick!"

Like an elastic band braking his head shot around to look at her, his mouth opened but he could't appear to find the words. Judy took a breath, then sidled across to him, and slipped her paw into his.

"You okay?" She said quietly.

His paw closed around hers.

"Hh _hh_ , yeah. Just shocked me is all." His gaze flicked to the limb which was lying, twisted, on the floor - then back to Judy. "Anyway, enough about me, how are _you_?"

"Shook up." She said airily with a shrug and a tremor in her voice which told Nick she was rather more than just 'shook up'. "But - you know - we've got a job to do. So..."

Nick looked at the small, soft paw he realized he was holding, and rubbed the pad of his thumb gently across the top of her hand.

"Nick," said Judy after several seconds, "we have to at least find out what species this is."

"Okay Hopps," he said, reluctantly releasing her hand (and Judy reluctantly taking her hand away) before they both silently - and carefully - pulled away at the rubble where the corpses head most likely was.

Judy noticed the fox's nose wrinkling and decided the best emotional support for each of them would be a little light conversation.

"Guess this must smell pretty bad." She said. "That because of the decomposition?"

"In part. It's that, the stink of the burnt wood, the mold embedded in this place, and I've never liked Finnick's smell ever since I met him. It's that, and..." They pulled away the last piece of rubble and the skull became visible. Judy gaped. Nick's mouth dropped.

The skeleton... was that of a fennec fox.

"...and I've just had a horrible premonition." With that his phone was out of his pocket and Nick was scrolling through his (almost ridiculously) short list of contacts. "Damn it," he said, coming to the end of the short list, "I deleted his number didn't I?" With the flick of a thumb, he had opened the phones keypad. Bringing a hand to his head he rubbed his closed eyes in an effort to remember the number.

"Who are you phoning?" Judy said though she knew the answer.

"Finnick," Nick replied as he started tapping numbers into his device, "I haven't even spoken too him since I left for the academy. It's ringing." they booth stood in silence while ring after ring echoed dully through the transmitter of Nick's phone, loud in the otherwise silent factory.

 _Booooooooop._

"Damn it!" Hanging up, Nick furiously pounded redial into his phone.

"No answer?" Judy asked.

"No, but that's hardly surprising under the circumstances. You know, I texted him once after I passed at the academy," his phone started to ring, "- telling him that I'd made it through and that I'd be working with you - and he texted _me_ back saying... well... on second thought's you don't need to know _exactly_ what he said - but it made his views on the subject pretty clear."

 _Booooooooop._

Nick did't shout this time as he tapped redial into his phone, merely growled a low growl. "I'm hoping if I keep phoning" the fox said with the edge of desperation lining his voice, "that he'll answer - old ties and all that - he may just be-"

With a click, his call was answered... but no voice spoke. "Fin! You there? Talk to me pall."

"Don't call me your pall; I ain't never been your pall."

Nick huffed in relief at hearing the gruff, familiar voice which shouted angrily down at him through the phone, looking to Judy and saying, "it isn't Fin."

"Der hell it is Fin! W'at der hell you wan't anyway?"

"Just checking to make sure your not dead is all."

"Have you gone nuts? Cause I ain't dead, why would I be dead?"

"Well, you remember Ladders and Ladders?"

"...dat der wearhouse we broken into couple'a years back an nearly got ourselves arrested for nothin' but a heap of junk?"

Nick's eyes flicked up to look at the raised eyebrows, crossed arms and thumping foot of his partner before speaking. "Erm... yeah, that's the one."

"Whad about it?"

"It's burnt down, and me and Hopps found this-"

" _Nick, what are you doing?"_ Judy breathed into his ear as the sound of approaching ZPD cars made themselves heard.

"Erm... Just a minute Fin." He pressed the mute button. "What?"

"You can't give away information like that to a suspect." She said, still whispering out of habit and natural convention even though Finnick was nowhere near within earshot.

"What? How is Fin a suspect?"

"This place is full of his scent... you said so yourself!"

"Judy, Fin is not a killer - he's many things - but _not_ a killer."

"Alright - well - tell him, just don't give him any details."

Nodding, he turned off the mute. "Yeah, we found signs that a fox of some kind had been here and I just wanted to check you're okay."

"Right... whad, is dat it?"

"Just about... so, you still selling Pawpsicles?"

"Narh, I got myself a better income deze dayz."

There was a lengthy pause.

"Well it was nice talking to ya again."

"Wadever, don't you be goin' all mushy on me, Nick."

"Hah, wouldnt dream of it, Fin."

Finnick hung up.

"So it's murder now?" Judy asked having calmed down enough to take in the situation. Outside, the doors of several cars can be heard to oepen as the officers

"Accidental, yeah, but murder none the less."

"It's disgusting. Probably a drunk or a couple of youths who thought they where being funny and this fox had to die for it. We're gonna have to bring Finnick in for questioning, you know." Judy turns her back on the scene, walking away into the rest of the room. Nick stands and steps over the corps but, as he does so, something peculiar about the skull grabs his attention. He lent in for a closer look.

" _Ughhh..._ " Judy grumbled, "when we catch this brute, I'm really gonna-"

"Woh. Woh, woh, wait! Hopps, come here."

She turns at his voice, startled as it was low and whispered through anxiety. She replies. "Nick, what are you-"

"Come here, Hopps."

"Nick, I-"

"Now!" Panic stricken, the fox lurched towards Judy and took firm hold of her arm, swinging her weight and actually lifting her off the ground, bringing her around to the sight that made her mouth drop.

"Nick - his skull, is - is that a~"

"Yep... that's a bullet hole."

"It - it really _is_ murder and not just an accident?"

"Sure is Hopps. Brutal, coldblooded, murder."

Behind them, the door burst open and the towering and (under the circumstances) reassuring figure of Cheif Bogo stepped in. "This is starting to become a habit with you two," he bellowed as he approached. "Now, what dastardly plot to enslave the world have you uncovered this time?"


	12. Sleazy Soho, Zootopia

When a body has been found - and if it is known with assurance that the crime is murder - then the case is handed expressly to the 'officials' of Zootopia's Murder Investigation Bureau. These 'officials' of the M.I.B. spend much of their time as standard officers of the ZPD, but when a murder victim is found, they will take over the investigation (regardless of the previous officers involvement in the case) until they have thoroughly searched the scene for evidence and tell-tail signs which other officers, not trained to such a high level, might have missed.

And so, after talking shortly with Chief Bogo, officers Hopps and Wilde where dismissed from the scene while officers H. Leopold and G. Jefferson (the former being an all-business, surly lion and the latter being a somewhat sloppier tiger of slightly inferior rank) searched the premises and read Hopps' written report on the matter so far.

With Bogo saying 'he didn't care what they did' for the three or four hours it would take officers Leopold and Jefferson to conduct a full search of the warehouse, Hopps and Wilde decided to follow up on a possibly interesting lead... but - because of Nick's past connections with said _lead_ \- they decided to do it on the QT.

Nick drove; Judy sat in the front passenger seat. The car pulled forwards, as slow as though it was driving through treacle, on through this dank, rough part of the city. Soho. Here, the houses are small and the people many. He continues to drive, under a sign written in bright red neon, the words: _Ladylove's Bar. Lap dancing, topless attendants, poll dancing and private booths._

The building was too stories high and unpainted, its brickwork bare and crumbling. The windows where so greasy they hardly deserved the name.

"Topless attendants?" Judy asked, one shade away from being mortified, "I didn't think that was even legal!"

"Oh, they keep their bra's on," Nick said, then added a moment later, "well, most of them do anyway, but they all have their price."

"Their price? You mean their willing to go that far just for money?"

"Hah! This may surprise you Hopps, but not many strippers follow their profession out of choice, most of them are just regular people with low morals who are so broke they can't afford to do otherwise."

"Jeez, Nick; what on Earth are we doing here?"

"Well," he said, sitting back in the drivers seat, "Finn has always been attracted to the more, how to put this... sleazier places in this city - and Soho definelty constitutes _sleazy_ -you heard what he said on the phone 'I got a better income', I reckon he's got a proper - though no more respectable - job, inside a gambling den perhaps? If we could just find his van, we'll find the fox."

Nick pulled to a stop at a red light and a procession of rusting, dented and scratched cars started passing across the way. Looking to the pavement, Nick spotted a female rabbit not unlike Judy. Not unlike her, yet utterly different at the same time.

She was about Hopps' age, slightly taller, with fur more creamy in color and a lot less well kept. Her face was tight and mean and in place of Judy's bright amethyst eyes, her eyes where a dull shade of grey - as though all seance of hope and joy had been drained from them. And in place of Judy's uniform was a pare of 'fashionably ripped' jeans and an old white shirt of dangerously low cut. She dragged from a fat spliff (of something which obviously wasn't just tobacco) as she stood with her handbag on the pavement. Most people would assume she was just waiting for a buss or something... Nick knew better.

The red fox spotted her _client_ even before the rabbit-hooker did - people always had 'that walk' when doing what he was about to do. He was a clear foot taller than any rabbit he had seen before with unhealthy steroid-induced muscles and a face of scars. He wore a pare of jeans also - though these where not ripped - with a shirt, dirty grey in color, with a denim blue jacket over that. He walked with his hands deep in his pockets, glancing from side to side as he walked straight towards the hooker.

The large rabbit stopped beside her and said a few words. Nick saw her lips move as she said something back, and then she blew a smoke ring into the large rabbits face.

Glancing around him, the larger rabbit handed a twenty pound note the the female, and then they both disappeared into the black shadow of a blind alley. In five minutes, Nick knew, they would reemerge. The male would wonder back to whatever hole he lived in, and the whore would be back on the pavement, waiting for her next _client_.

Nick glanced to the rabbit beside him out of the corner of his eye - glad when he realized she either missed the entire exchange, or was too innocent to understand the significance - it didn't matter which. There where some crimes that went on in the city, crimes that just couldn't be stopped, that she really didn't need to know about.

The light turned green and Nick pulled away, driving past several lap-dancing bars, casinos, strip clubs, hotels of a nefarious disposition and sex shops.

"Well," Nick said lightly, pulling a left turn, taking the car past a casino called ' _The Overdraft'_ , "lets hope the Men In Black find something before too long."

"Nick," said Judy, "enough with the 'Men In Black' already. How many times, M.I.B stands for the Murder Investigation Bureau."

"Men In Black, Murder Investigation Bureau, Monthly Investment Benefit: it makes no difference. If the acronym is M.I.B. then the acronym is M.I.B. - and I can associate any meaning to it I like."

They drove in silence for some seconds more. Nick drove slowly past the rows of parked cars, occasionally glancing at any vans which passed in the other direction; Judy kept an eye out - looking here and there as Nick drove - seeking for a glimpse of Finnick's van.

"Still," she said at length, her tone mild, "it was nice of them to compliment us on the detailing on our Arson Report."

"It sure was, they probably realized that we'd be better detectives then they would."

"And it was _nice_ of you share that praise with me by telling them how much time you put into writing it."

"It takes it out of you, you know, writing out all that paperwork, making sure I've got every detail."

"And," she said, no longer hiding the edge in her voice, "it was _'nice'_ of you to let _me_ fill-out said paperwork while you threw balls of scrap-paper in the bin from twenty pieces!"  
"I told you already Hopps, I've got hyper mobility disorder in my hands; I can't write for a prolonged period of time."

"Oh yeah(!) What was it you told me when I said we should go for a jog under the beautiful full moon at midnight last week? ' _you had a bone in your leg_ ', was that the excuse!?"

"No, I didn't..." he said pointedly, "and I resent the implication the only way I know how to say _no_ to something is to make up a ridiculous excuse... anyway," he said in tones more natural, "it was my old war-wound was me trouble, that was the reason."

Judy paused for effect, knowing a beat or two of silence would have far more impact.  
"...I bet I'd get a different reaction if I suggested we went midnight skinny-dipping."

Nick's head slowly turned to look at the rabbit, trying to figure out what she meant. His eyes widened as he figured it out... and then the car lurched forwards as Nick's foot slipped on the accelerator. His mind frozen by the images flashing in his mind, he nearly swerved into incoming traffic and only avoided hitting another driver because Judy sprang forwards and took the wheel.

Judy streaked as the car span - off the road and into a car park - wrestling with the steering wheel and the centrifugal force of the spinning car as she brought it under control. It screeched, it skidded, skittered, tipped, teetered, and then landed back on all four wheels, parallel parked between the casino wall... and a rather ornately painted van which depicted the Aztec legend of Popocatepetl and Iztaccihuat.

The two officers lay panting for a few seconds - panting from the adrenaline rush the near-accident had caused.

Neither moved for several secconds with Judy still lent over Nick and grpping tightly onto the steering wheel. She glanced out of the window and notised the van. She pointted to it, and the fox who was mostly benieath her arched his head around to see.

"Finnick?" Judy asked.

"Finnick." Nick confirmed.

...

Judy and Wilde slipped into the dark and low-cealinged confines of the casino. The thick smoke which hung in the air, drifting down from the sealing beams, stank of something which suggested a little more than just tobacco. The building was built on many levels - here a raised platform, there a lowered one - each connected up by a small wooden staircase of one or two steps.

The place was packed; its occupants huddled in the dark shadows and many corners of the building which was yet more claustrophobic because of the thick smoke which hung about the air. Most of the pack - numerous species, but each of them large and grotesque - where too busy with their games of chance to notice them, but some looked. Though that looked, normally the largest, with scared faces and broad arms, would bare their teeth and reach into their pockets for either knives or perhaps a gun.

The law had no place here.

Both officers where apprehensive at their situation as they stepped deeper into the gambling den - but knew better than to show it. Judy walked in front - but only Nick, who was for more familiar with such places then he would have liked to have been - could keep an eye on her and, despite the fact the rabbit was in front, it was actually Nick who was leading by keeping his claws pinched on the fabric on the back of Judy's vest and steering her.

Judy, while an amazing officer of the law, was, Nick knew, not nearly trained enough to get on the wrong side of these kinds of places... but then again, no officer was.  
Nick kept Judy as safe as possible: whenever a particularly big or menacing mammal came close he would steer her, easily, away from them, just in case the mammal, mail or female, wanted to grab at them or pull a knife... Nick had seen that once before - from a distance, mind you - it didn't end well, and he had no intention of seeing Judy succumb to the same brutal, sudden and very fatal end.

He lead her safely through to the back of the casino - fixing a stern gaze on everyone he passed, showing the tips of his fangs and keeping his tail high. A few mammals looked as though about to intervene... but then Nick caught there eye and they thought better of it. It took a special kind of training to survive in these places - not the kind of training any 'academy' could provide - training that came naturally after spending many years living in the rough side of Zootopia as Nick had.

He stepped down a small staircase and past another blackjack table. Past a number of pool tables with faded and ripped green felt tabletops and into a room at the back.  
Nick knew how to carry himself. He had learnt the hard way that the best way to win a fight was simply to not start one in the first place. He knew how to walk, how to hold his body and the right mix of ' _I am no threat, I am worthless, not worth your time_ ' and ' _look at me wrong an' I'll break your damn Nick_ ' to survive in these kinds of paces and at the moment... it was just about the only thing keeping both of them alive.

The uniforms, whatever Judy bereaved, where of no help here in the Godless, lawless places of the Earth.

"Okay Nick, how are we doing this?" Judy whispered into Nick's ear, trying to keep their presence their nonchalant... blissfully unaware of the fact that the entire establishment had been informed of their presence the moment they stepped through the doors.

"What do you mean?" He whispered back.

"Are we just here to talk to him, or do we just arrest him on the spot?"

 _Like we have a chance in hell of arresting someone 'inside' this place...  
..._ Nick thought to himself, but instead said, "we just want to ask him some questions, and see how he reacts."

"Okay."

"Ohh, and let me do the talking."

"Right."

"...to start with, at least."

...

Of all the people in the club he was supposed to inform, the runner who had first spotted to the new guy about the presence of the official police. Walking into a back room, the wolf spots the small fox dealing out blackjack cards on the tabing, talking as he did so.

"You up ten pounds? One more card to the dealer. That's sixty against fourth, dealer wins again..." and so on.

He hadn't been with them very long, this small fox called 'Finnick' - arriving out of nowhere only a couple of mounts ago - but he had quickly made in impression. Not only could he hold his own in a brawl (of the three fights that had broken out, the small fox had allays been left standing at the end... cut and bruised to hell, but standing none the less) but he was also gifted with handling and rigging cards and had already made the casino a small fortune for all the scams he had pulled, undetected by the public.

The wolf leaned into the fox's large ear as he dealt out another hand. The fox stopped dealing as the wolf spoke, and then his eyes flicked up and past the blackjack players and towards the rest of the casino... his usual gruff voice dropping to a low hush.

"Where?"

The wolf pointed.

"Hell." The fox stood briskly and pushed the wolf aside as he stood. _Of all the officers of the ZPD, it 'would' be though two._ The blackjack players started to complain but the angry face of the fox snarled at them before marching off.

Keeping to the shadows as much as possible, he hopped to slip past Nick and Judy who where obviously looking for him and made his way towards the fire exit... after being outside he would be far away and very quickly too.

Nick's exceptional nose started sniffing the air, catching a scent he knew all too well. Guiding Judy towards the side of the room, he preempted his ex-partners moves.

Finnick herd movement behind him. He reached out for the bar that opened the fire exit. A red hand held him by his shoulder. _Damn it!_

"Well I'll be damned," said Nick's irritatingly cocky voice, "if it isn't my old pall, Finn."

...slowly, the small fennec fox turned to the two officers... and then he put on his best 'cheery smile' and talked with a friendly and over-familiar ring to his words.  
"Nick - Nickey - my old bud; what can I do yer fore?"

* * *

 **Soho is an area of Westminster - part of the West End of London, England - which is a long established 'entertainment district'... for much of the 20th century, Soho had a reputation as a base for the sex industry and was well known for its its night life.**


	13. Finnick's Townward Tour

"Nick - Nickey - old pall, old bud! Whad can I do yer four?"

Nick lowered turned a suspicious gaze towards he _'friend'_ as Finnick took another near-unnoticeable step towards the fire exit.

"Hello, Finnick," Nick said in reply, keeping his voice professionally crisp. "Officer Hopps and I where just hoping that we could ask you some questions about the murder of an unknown Fennec fox, found in La-"

"An what makes you so sure I wuz responsible?"

"Neither Officer Hopps nor myself are implying you are responsible, it's just I caught your scent there and thought I'd see if you knew anything. And Fin(?) ...stop slowly edging towards the fire exit; I don't want to put you in lock-up but so help me God, if you take another step I will."

"No, I'm just shifting from foot to foot, das all!"

"Well, you're certainly closer to the exit then you where before... now, do you have anything to tell us."

Finnick takes a step away from the fire exit to stand roughly between Nick and Judy. This part of the casino was dimly lit and under-crowded - so their 'conversation' was unnoticed by many of the punters and staff.

Turning side-on from Nick, the smaller fox shoves his hands dismissively in his pockets as he speaks, his voice light-toned and mild.

"Look, Nickey, we bin old friends for years now, right?"

"I... guess so(?)"

"Well in sight of that, I do have one thing to say to you."

"And what's tha-"

The small fox moved faster than the eye could see. His back lurched forwards, his fist shot from within his pocket, he stepped into the movement, his shoulders twisted, his arm arced and his hand became a solid rock as it plunged deep into Nick's chest.

"Ker _-Hoof_!"

It was a professionally dealt punch - powerful - and it was only Nick's 'standard ZPD issue' body armor which stopped him from collapsing into a retching and crumpled heap on the floor. Instead, he bent over double and brought both hands to clutch to his stomach - obliviously in pain but not as bad as it could have been. Nick's cry of pain distracted Judy only for a second, but it was more than long enough for Finnick to kick open the fire exit a bolt outside.

"So long, sucker!" They heard Fin call as he darted off. Judy glowered at the rapidly retreating fox for a moment before the fire door swung shut again. She could have given chase, but she had priorities.

"Nick," Judy asked, turning back, "you good?"

"Fine Hopps," he said, his voice a little strained, "just fine."

"You sure? That was a pretty heavy punch."

"Hmm," Nick replied dismissively, "no worse than what you give me, and that's _without_ body-armor, remember?"

She sighed, but couldn't say anything, seeing how he was complexity right. Nick spoke again.

"Just be glad he didn't have his knuckle dusters on." He patted the rabbit on the shoulder, then continued, "come on Carrots, lets go catch us an ex-business."

"Nick," Judy muttered, remorsefully, "he's long-gone."

"Actually, my dear sweet Carrots," he said, taking her paw and leading her briskly to one of the side-entrances, "by a server stroke luck I think you'll find that _that_ particular ally," he pushed open the door a crack, peeking out into the street, "comes out right..." He lept into the ally and pulled Judy with him... and the fennec fox who had thought to have left both of them far behind skittered to a sudden halt as they appeared, mere feet before him.

"...here."

They alley the three found themselves in was narrow and very long. It is here where the strippers so poor they couldn't even afford their dignity performed nefarious acts for tough males with hard, mean faces and the money to buy it. On Finnick's left was the wall of the club - as grimy and wretched as that which resides within - on his right was a six foot wire fence, ahead of him where two officers trained in unarmed combat, and behind? A long flat alley with no turn-offs or exits apart from the fire escape he came out of - which could not be opened from the outside - and the two mammals (being much larger than him) would easily have caught him before he reached the door anyway.

He had only one option.

Finnick kicked up a little dust towards them and then sprang at the fence. The officers reacted a second too late and Nick reached up to grab Finnick's leg the second after he climbed out of reach. Grunting, he jumped up and started climbing the fence himself as Judy - who could not burrow through solid cement pavement - started to climb beside him.

Finnick reached the top of the fence and dropped the six feet to the floor. He glanced over his shoulder as he started to run and saw Nick and Judy still climbing, but following close behind.

Nick reached the top a second or two later but did not leap over just yet. Judy - with larger and less dexterous feet - was having trouble finding a foothold on the wire mesh. Keeping a firm grip with one paw, he reached down and held a paw out to her. She took it, and Nick swung her over his shoulder. She landed into a tactical role and was instantly running; Nick landed behind her a second later; the small form of Finnick quickly retreating down the long, sleazy street.

"Come on, Nick!" Judy called, shouting over her shoulder and Nick came up to speed.

The chase lead them down through alleys of cracked pavements, on over busy streets and alongside the backs of many disreputable buildings. Darting between the streets, Finnick only just managed to stay again - and would have lost Judy if she was on her own - but Nick knew the streets just as well as Finnick. Finnick's only advantage was his agility - gaining ground on them at every sudden turn - but Nick and Judy held great advantage regardless. As they where both larger mammals, they had a far wider stride along with more stamina and, had they been chasing on a single flat surface, they would have caught the fox long ago... but his darting and turning kept them somewhat at bay as they closed the gap between them.

The small fox darted across the wide street. Cars screeched to a halt before him. The two officers closed in. Finnick approached the opposite side of the street and Nick came very close behind him, almost managing to grab onto the smaller foxes arm before Finnick lept forwards and dove under a car.

"Come on!" Shouted Judy as she and Nick hurdled over the bonnet of the car to find... a complete lack of fox.

Only at the honking of a horn behind them did they turn to see...

"Hopps, he's doubled back!" Shouted Nick, leaping back over the bonnet of the car to chase after their swift target who was now running back across the busy road.

"Well," shouted Judy in return, "that trick won't work a second time!"

They where back to square one again; all the ground they had gained on Finnick over the source of the chase had been lost in a matter of seconds, all thanks to a simple foxtrick.

With the distance he had gained on them, Finnick risked a glance over his shoulder and knew instantly that he could never outrun them both - he only had little legs and, while he was quick when he had to be, his stamina would soon be exhausted.

He didn't have a chance. Not out here on the street, anyway. Somewhere smaller, that's what he needed, somewhere he could dart and rush here and there until they lost him and he could slip away.

One of his massive ears - which where plastered flat against his head - pricked up slightly as he heard the rapid slap of paw pad against pavement closing behind him as the officers, again, closed the gap between them. Looking down the street a way, he spotted a shop door open and a small brown bear step out.

Finnick's pace quickened as he approached. He leaped, snarling, towards the bare who cowered back from the small but very angry creature and backed away from the open door. Finnick slammed closed the door of the shop, a bakers, as Nick and Judy ran up to the bakers, and used the moment it took them to re-open the door to scamper away.

"Come on Hopps," called Nick as he chased after the small fox who was darting from the front of the shop into the bread kitchen behind, "we can corner him in here, there's no way out!"

Judy ran into the bakers behind him and entered the kitchen - well cleaned, with shining metal all around and ovens slowly baking the raw yeast into bread lining the walls.

Finnick rushed to where he hoped the back exit would be and found none. He darted to the other side of the kitchen and found, again, nothing but solid wall. He turned on his heals, gasping for breath, his mind filled with fear, as the officers approached... the officers slowed to walking pace, the rabbit teased a pair of paw cuffs on her belt, almost mockingly.

Lashing out through the fear, Finnick grabbed a number of utensils - sadly out of reach of any knives - and started throwing the assortment of baking trays, rolling pins and bags of flower towards the officers who battered them away, mid flight, without apparent effort... all the while the small fox backed further away... until he came to a sudden stop in the far corner of the room.

...

The shadow of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde fell upon the small form of Finnick. Pressed against a wall, his eyes darted here and there as he sleeked for the way out, now more controlled by his primitive, more savage instincts which still arises in most mammals at moments of heightened emotion even without intoxicants like Nighthowlers.

A satisfied smile on her face, Judy took a step towards him. "Gotcha." A large paw stopped her.

"Hold it," said Nick, looking up with a frown, Judy watched Nick as he eyes examined the almost feral fennec fox. "He's backed against a wall here, literally; knowing Finnick, this could get very nasty."

Judy took in the image of Finnick before her. His ears where low, claws extended full, crouching down in readiness to strike and his eyes glinted with a dangerous light. He may have been small, but his claws where sharp and he was more than ready to use his teeth - even two trained officers on one, they could still come out very badly from the encounter.

"Dart him?" Judy asked.

"Dart him." Nick said.

The small foxes eyes shot wide in sudden realization as the rabbit officer pulled a dart gun from her pocket. Looking desperately about him, Finnick - at last - spotted his way out. Judy brought the dart gun to bare, but before she could fire the fox darted behind a large crate before climbing it. Making his actions quicker than Judy's reflexes, the small fox climbed atop of the large crate, reached for a ventilation grate, pulled it away and climbed within.

Growling as she put the gun away, Judy leaped up and onto the create to give chase, clambering in to follow as Nick shouts, "Judy, I'm not gonna fit in there, I'll go around and see if I can intercept him!"

"Copy!" Judy shouted, on paws and knees, to crawl after their target.

...

Finnick glanced over his shoulder at the rabbit following. She was about five feet behind. That didn't seem like much when you where crawling on hands and knees, but once Finnick was out of the vent - he realized - he would be sprinting away while the rabbit would still be stuck, slowly crawling from behind, for at least ten seconds... by which point he would easily have darted away and found a blind ally to hid in, so obscure, even Nick wouldn't think to look their.

Nick followed below, lessening the dull _thump, thump, thump_ as Finnick and Judy crawled along the shaft above him. Following it to a wall which the vent carried on through, Nick ran around to the last room of the bakers. He spotted an exit to the vent, and guessed it would be about ten seconds before Finnick emerged. He turned to the dozen-or-so bakers who where stood around, kneading dough, rolling out raw yeast and applying flower across the surfaces from large bags.

"Okay everyone, Officer Wilde," (he still loved saying that) "ZPD; there might be some trouble in here in moment, so if you could all please move outside for a moment... thank you." The bakers clearing the room without complaint, the _thump, thump, thump_ s moving closer to the exit, Nick allowed himself a smug smile at how well it was all coming together.

...

Finnick saw the end of the vent in sight. In a few more seconds he would be out of the vent, on the floor, and far away before the damned rabbit following could even get out of the vent. He reached the end, cackling as he spoke. "Well, sorry Fluffarse, but I gotta split!" Finnick dropped to the floor. He felt the floor sweeping away under his feet, a weight against his chest, speed, momentum, and then the wind was knocked out of him as Nick's forearm pinned him heavy against the side of a table close to the side of the room.

Seeing the smaller fox land, Nick had rushed him, brought him under control with a forearm, and was not keeping his weight against him, ensuring he couldn't move, his muzzle parting in a cruel smile, his eyes bright with mocking, daring the smaller fox to try it.

Unfortunately... Finnick did.

Finnick arched the fist of his free arm forwards in an unrelaxed hook towards Nick's face. Nick saw the attack a mile off and leaned easily back. The fist returned with a back-hand to strike against his chest, but Nick turned so it hit the forearm not pinning Finnick down instead (in a motion which protected Nick from most of the harm while not allowing the smaller fox any leeway, as blocking properly would have risked creating more openings for his wily ex-partner in crime).

Finnick, this time, brought his knee up and into Nick's chest with as much force as he could muster, grunting in effort at the blows delivery.

Nick saw the attack coming but, again, could do nothing to block it without risking the smaller fox getting away. He tensed the muscles in his stomach to try and reduce the damage, and hopped for the best.

At hearing the heavy sigh of pain, and feeling the hold on himself loosen, Finnick swiftly brought his elbow into the equation and Nick's nose bloodied horribly. There was no 'manning up' to that attack and Nick recoiled sharply away, clutching at his nose with a high yelp.

Judy had seen all, but was still one foot away from the end of the vent, cursing herself violently at every second, every punch, every blow which the red fox - her fox, her partner - took without her.

Finnick pushed into Nick with a heavy shove and freed himself from the larger foxes grasp. He dove over the table as Nick's paws came arcing forwards to try and catch the smaller fox in a bear-hug to hold him in place, Nick's paw flying fruitlessly through the air. The table between them, Nick moved to run around the left to catch the smaller fox and Finnick moved to the right and would have ran away if Nick had not shot back to the right to catch him. Finnick moved, Nick copied. Nick moved, Finnick copied. It was a classic Mexican standoff.

Finnick smiled at this realization... but that smile dropped as Judy - at long last - dropped from the vent to rush to Nick's aid. Realizing Judy could go one way and Nick the other - trapping him in the middle - Finnick rapidly searched through his dwindling bag of tricks and found only one left. He didn't like it at all.

He didn't really want to hurt one of his oldest friends and long-term business partner too bad, he didn't want to risk permanent damage to him and he certainly didn't want to risk killing him... but the thing was, he wanted to go to jail even less!

He had only one option. Quick as a flash, his paw had gone to his pocket and he took out a packet of white powder.

Judy realized with horror, instantly, what Finnick was planning as the smaller fox tore open the plastic with his teeth and made to shove the white powder into Nick's face across the table.

Nick too knew he was about to be on the receiving end of a drug overdose if he wasn't careful and so, shooting his paw forwards, he clutched Finnick's paw by the wrist in his own. They stood utterly still for a few moments - Judy frozen in fear, worried that moving would somehow tip the balance and allow Finnick to do the dead - Nick's and Finnick's paws trembled because of the energy being pushed into them, shaking from the tension as each pushed into the other.

When you have that much tension in one place... something has to give.

The forces collapsed in on themselves. Chaos theory was proved. Their paws shooting uncontrolled this way and that, the part of the kitchen they occupied erupted in a clamor of noise as the objects on the table flew about the room, colliding with other objects.

Finnick stumbled over the table and landed on his feet, instantly making his way to run for an exit... and Nick fell back, his face arctic white with powder.

Judy cried out in terror as small fox darted away, rushing to kneel by Nick's side as Nick sat up, coughing and retching to try and clear it from his lungs as Finnick rushed out of the front door.

To caught up with the moment to check for traffic, Finnick ran out blind into the busy road... "Good luck getting out of rehab this time, Nick, looks like I'm about as good as outta h-" ..and was promptly hit by a car and sent flying through the air to come crashing down into a fruit cart... "son of a-" ...and then the fruit cart collapsed on top of him. Judy ignored all as she did her best to aid her friend.

"Nick, Nick! Oh God, I-"

"C-Carrots," he said, hacking white powder from his mouth, "don't worry, I'm fine."

"Nick, you're not fine, I'm calling in-"

"Hopps," he spluttered, "It's flour!"

"Flour?" She blinked at him. She rubbed her paw over his cheek, examined the white powder in her finger, and licked it. "Flour," she said again, tears starting to well in her eyes. Without warning she threw her arms around Nick's chest and held him tight. Nick returned her hug with equal relief. "...flour." She said again.

They sat together - Finnick unconscious beneath a pile of apples - kneeling on the floor in the kitchen, held reassuringly in each others arms and content to stay there for as long as they could.


	14. What will be…

From the depths of nothing the foxes vision started to clear. He made to rub his eyes, hoping to rid them of the lingering spots in his vision, but found himself unable to move his arm. The anxiety kicked in and Finnick's vision cleared. Grunting, he tugged at his arm but found that the pawcuffs holding it to the streetlamp he was sat against as sturdy as they looked.

Sat against the metal lamppost, Finnick twisted his waist around at an awkward angle to look at the metal hoop around his wrist - growling as he tugged again and again at the chain in a vain effort to brake it open. It was never going to happen. His snarling face turning to a wry smile, the small fox extended a black claw and put it into the keyhole, sticking his tong out in concentration as he twisted it this way and that.

"That's not gonna get you anywhere," said a voice in front of him. Finnick's head snapped back, snarling, to look at the smug figure of the red fox stood over him - Nick - showing his teeth in a broad grin with his arm resting loosely over the shoulder of a rabbit - Judy - who was leaning against the fox with a smile no less smug, her arms folded against her chest and glancing between Finnick with a look of smugness, and Nick with a look of pride.

"So..." the rabbit continued for him, leaning forwards and bending over, her hands resting on her knees as she brought her head down to his level, a quaint little smile on her teasing face... "are you ready to answer our questions now?"

Showing his teeth, Finnick lurched his fist forwards to punch the annoying rabbit squally in the nose... but his hand snapped to a stop as the pawcuffs pulled taut around his wrist, mere centimeters away from her unflinching and now grinning face.

"Look Finn," said Nick as Judy's smile grew in size (having successfully judged the distances and dragged Finnick's self-esteem as a prize fighter through the mud) "it's gonna be a lot easier for all of us if you just tell us what we want to know."

The small fox spat at Nick, who lept back to avoid the mouthful of goz. "Go jump in the lake, copper."

"Thanks but no thanks," Nick answered without missing a beat, slowly bending over slightly while Judy stood back upright. "I'm warning you now - Finn - I am not in a playful mood. I am stood before you: my uniform tarnished and torn, my fur matted and wretched, I am covered in sweat, soot, charcoal, burnt-up dead-guy and now - thanks to you - flour, just to top it off."

"I don't care if you iz cored head to foot in yer own piss; I ain't never gonna talk!"

"Finnick," he said, raising a finger to point down at him with, "if you don't starting being a bit more helpful-"

"Whad you gonna do Nickey - tell me - whad?"

Nick chuckled, then answered. "Then, my old friend, I drag your butt down to a cell, hurl you in, and melt down the key."

The small fox lurched forwards - Nick did not back down - bringing their sneering faces inches apart. "You put me in lockdown - _Nick_ \- and I'll tell them everything. You hear me? _Everything_. Every single con, crime and scam that 'we' ever pulled." Nick's expression did not change, yet somehow, the way his face froze up said everything. Finnick sat back, crossing his his legs at the ankles to give Nick a disregarding gaze. "Face it Nickey, I could 'ave you arrested jus' as quick az you could me."

Eventually - after seconds of science - a smile broke upon Nick's face. Neither Finnick nor Judy liked it very much. It was a sad little smile, full of acceptance, but acceptance and resolve.

"And then true justice will be served."

"What!" Both cried in unison, each looking to the red fox with eyes which where wide with both panic and concirn... though while one harbored thoes feelings for themselvs, the other harbored them for Nick.

"B-b-but, Nick!" Judy stammered, "I-"

"Whad the hell has-zis bunny done to ya?" Finnick yelled, "you seriously putting 'the law' before yer own self?"

Nick looked between the rabbit and the small fox; two conversations where waiting for him, but he only cared for one. "Finnick," he said, "me and Hopps are just going for a little chat... you won't 'go' anywhere will you?"

The fennec fox rolled his eyes and muttered a number of expletives under his breath, tugging again on the pawcuffs which could easily have restrained a horse.

Judy was too concerned to really take in Nick's (rather cliché) gag as she stared up at him. Her mouth opened to speak as he put his blue-uniform-clad arm around her shoulders to lead her away - bringing a his index finger to his mouth in a 'silence' gesture.

They walked, turned a corner, and stood in the darkness of the overhanging wall of a skanky, run down hotel.

"Nick, what are you thinking?" Judy shouted, but keeping her volume down, as she reached behind her head and threw his arm off her shoulders, turning to face him as she spoke.

"Finnick's right-" Nick said "-I'm a crook just as much as he is; the best thing I could do is own up and take my just deserves."

"No! No, you are not just 'some crook', Nick. And to hell with 'just deserves'; are you out of your mind!?"

"I used to make two-hundred and fifty bucks a day - Fluff - and not a penny was acquired honestly."

"Well that was the past you, Nick, the new you is-"

"Judy, a mammal cannot make good all his past sins by saying 'you know what? I've been really bad up till now, I'll start a new life and _hallelujah_ all my past sins are cured'. His arms, which he had raised either side as he spoke, dropped dejected to his side. "Face it Hopps - in the eyes of the law - I'm really no less of a crook than Finn is. Do'y think I'd ever have got a job there if I _told_ them about all the stuff I've pulled? No, no they would not."

"To hell with 'the law', Nick," Judy shouted, "the ZPD need you!"

 _The ZPD need me... how nice. Well, looks like I'm gonna have to do this the hard way._ "The ZPD ain't gonna miss me when I'm gone, Hopps. They managed long before I came around: they'll survive."

"Well," Judy fumbled with her words, "it... it's not just ZPD who - need... you~" slowly, like the dying embers of a fire, she trailed off.

 _Hmm... nearly._ Thought Nick. _But not quite._

"Well who? Bogo certainly doesn't. McHorn? Clawhauser? Leopold? Little Jim the toymakers son?"

Judy looked up and her eyes met his, the hurt clearly visible in her amethysts and overshadowing the normal cheery ring of her voice.

"I need you, Nick. Me."

His expression softened _...and there it is._

"I mean:" she added quickly, beating down the blush which tried to form. "You're a very efficient policemammal. You know the city, you know how to talk to people, you have a number of connections which have come useful in the past. You can keep yourself above the general stresses of the job and my efficiency would be severely effected if you went away and..." Judy carried on listing all the reason why she thought he made a good copper... not at all what he wanted her to say.

 _Don't you dare Hopps, don't you dare try and 'rationalize' what you just said into the cold, hard logic your mind normally works in..._

"Carrots," he said, pacing around the corner and towards the cuffed Finnick. "I'm not all that good'a cop - I mean, really - I was one of the bad-guys for about twenty years." She moved her paw to take her arm, but Nick gently tugged his sleeve away. "Look - keep how you feel out of this..." Nick said, intentionally telling the rabbit to do the exact opposite of what he wanted her to "...you would do better without me."

"But, I have to have a partner! You can't leave me without a partner!"

 _Not good enough Judy._ He thought as the small fox came into view. _Sorry to keep pushing you you like this - I know it must be hurting you as much as it's hurting me - but I wanna hear it._

"Don't worry Carrots - the next batch of recruits'll be coming along soon - you might even get assigned a rabbit! Now wouldn't that be better?"

"But I don't want a rabbit!" She called after him, "I wanna go out with you!"

The words hung in the air. For a long time; silence. He turned to her (the small fox still out of ear-shot over the sound of traffic) and looked into her face. A small blush was working its way over it as Judy tried to hide it behind the ear she brought around the side of her face and across her mouth and cheeks, saying nothing as she looked up at the motionless fox.

 _Well, what do you know..._ Nick thought after a long pause... _I spend all this time thinking of how I'm gonna tell her, and she says it for me._

True, he had been hoping the flustered rabbit (with her heart working quicker than her head) would let something delicate slip in the heat of his impending, damning (and completely fallacious) intention to hand himself into the law... but a straight up 'I want to go out with you' was far more than he had dared hope for.

The fox raised his ears towards her - making it very obvious to the rabbit that all his attention was solely on her - as he spoke again, his voice just a little too calm for Judy's liking. "You want to... what?"

"Uh- I ~"

 _No one expected what happened next. Nick was surprised - Nick was very surprised. Finnick, who had been watching the two since they re-emerged from around the corner, was surprised. The driver of a black cab and his fare where both surprised. The CCTV camera operative - casually watching the mildly interesting arrest as it unfolded - was surprised. The advanced interdenominational race of super-aliens hovering above the planets surface -_ _half heartedly_ _deciding weather they wanted to invade Earth and enslave all mammal kind or not (and deciding it probably wasn't really worth it) - where surprised. Ethel Morris, an elderly spinster having her fifteenth cup of coffee since lunch, was surprised. All the mammals who later heard the rumour of what had happened where surprised. The rabbit who was the cause of what happened, Judy, was surprised... come to mention it, she was the most surprised of the lot._

 _All in all, the general reaction to what happened next was: 'surprise'._

Judy opened her mouth. She tried - she really tried - to force a word (or at the very least a sound) out of her mouth but found it utterly unresponsive. Judy shut her mouth again and closed her eyes (at least she tried to) but her gaze as it was - locked firmly with Nick's - all she could do was stair into the twinkle in his amazingly wonderful emeralds, which twinkled with - what - worry? Surprise? Desire? ...hope? A little of all perhaps.

She stepped forwards without consciously sending the message to do so from her brain to her foot - as it moved on its own accord - like it was some kind of 'instinct'. A sort of dizziness took over her - blurring her vision and dulling sounds - while bringing other things into crystal clarity and perfect attunement... like the sound of her heartbeat, her slow, shallow breaths. She turned her ears towards the fox, whose eyes where glowing a brighter and more vibrant green than she had ever seen in them before, and picked up on every sound of his body.

His heartbeat was rapid - incredibly so - and his breaths where as quick and as shallow his hers. She spotted he was trembling - almost indeterminably - but her eyes appeared suddenly able to take in every feature of his body at once... while all the rest of the world faded into a dull haze.

Judy reached out her arm - at least, she was quite sure it was her arm - but if felt sort of numb, and seemed to move on its own accord. The rabbit watched quite motionless as the arm attached to her shoulder moved towards Nick and up towards his face.

The arm she thought was hers reached out and clasped the knot of the red foxes tie. The arm pulled, but it was as though someone else had done it - and that was another strange thing; she didn't feel like she had any weight behind the tug, yet his face shot towards hers with such speed that she must have put her whole weight into it - and she knew it wasn't 'he' who had done it to 'her'... just by how surprised and how wide his eyes shot as he - as she - as they...

As their lips pressed together. That simple soft touch, that tiny little contact, that inconsequential little anatomical juxtaposition of their two orbicularis orbis muscles during a state of contraction... which gave cause for shrouded emotions - hither to held down, held back, by both mammals for fear the other did not share in such feelings - to rupture and bleed into each of their minds. The kiss that sealed their fate. The kiss that, for the second it lasted at least, was the only thing - the _only_ thing - either Nick or Judy could think about. The kiss that they had both wanted so much for so long. And the kiss...

...the kiss which became the object of forbidden desire for both forever after.

"I'm sorry, Nick, I... I don't want a rabbit." Judy said, trembling, a tear gracing the soft fur of her cheek, her hand sill holding his face close to hers. "I want a..." her gaze fell from his to the floor "...I want a fox."

"And don't you know it."

"Jerk..." a fist thumped into his side, "...and yes, yes I do."

Nick shrugged off the soft punch with a light chuckle before sobering and looking back to the rabbit, her lips temptingly close to his own. A temptation which was a little more than Nick could handle.

Lurching forwards, their lips met a second time. At this, a feeling of security and comfort - along with the burning emotion which flamed up inside both at the first kiss - grew within Judy for now that Nick had actually kissed her back she knew; thee feeling... was mutual.

Nick reached forwards with a single delicate finger and took the single tear she had shied as it dangled from the bottom of her chin. He rubbed it into his fur with thumb and forefinger before looking back into the rabbits eyes and licking his lips - savoring the taste of 'Judy' which still lingered on them.

"So, Judy," he said after a second, "does... this make us-"

"Possibly." She said, a playful grin on her face, "I guess you'll just have to find out. Assuming you ever get the guts up to ask, that is."

"Hey, gimme credit where it's due, Hopps," he chuckled nervously, "I've been thinking up ways of telling you for months now."

"Well, maybe," she whispered, on tiptoe, into his ear, "you should 'thinking' about asking and actually 'ask' some day... you never know, my answer might surprise you."

Closing his eyes, Nick moved his head forwards for a third kiss - quite unable to bereave he had gone from none in a year to two in the space of a few seconds - desiring to 'just check' to make sure fox kissing rabbit was something she really was okay with; but his eyes opened with surprise as her small paw clamped over his muzzle, keeping it at bay barely a millimeter off her lips.

"Arh - Nick -" she said with a stubbornly playful edge to her words, "- that's enough for now... we're on duty, remember?" All Nick could do was stair at her shining eyes and cheeky grin as she lowed off tip-toe and close one eye in a wink - a wink that set his heart thumping even louder (if that was even possible) in his chest - before turning back to Finnick - who had been watching both with captivated interest, not saying a word. At seeing Judy turning to face him, he hid his surprise and his interest behind a mask mild disinterest.

To the rabbit, the blush on her face: was painful.

Smoothly, Finnick slipped his free paw into his pocket and brought out a small bag of tobacco. He unwrapped it and let it fall open, a few of the leaves falling into his lap. He reached into his pocket again and brought out a scrunched-up piece of cigarette paper and flattened it on his knee. The small, rectangular piece of paper flattened, Finnick picked up a sizable pinch of the tobacco between thumb and index finger, and let it drop from his grasp as he moved his hand along the cigarette paper - distributing it evenly along the length. He tucked the packet back into his pocket and carefully rolled the paper into a tube shape being careful to keep the line of tobacco within - not an easy task to manage with one hand - but Finnick managed with a practiced ease. Bringing it carefully to his mouth, side on, he licked his tong against the edge of the paper and rolled that last bit of it into the end. Popping it into the corner of his mouth, he reached into his pocket a third time and took out a lighter, flipped up the lid, sparked the end into lighting, and put the flame to the end.

Putting the lighter back in his pocket, sucking a long drag, he turned to the rabbit, and spoke.

"So... wha'do you want to know?"

* * *

Somewhere just beyond the edge of the city of Zootopia - about three miles or so - far past the last of the houses and into the deep forest which lay all around, stood a shack. It was clearly old and somewhat shabby - once acting as home to a lumberjack many years ago - which sits among the many old oaks and ferns, the floor laden with sweet smelling flowers and the birds singing harmoniously in the trees which glow warmly in the sunlight.

Within this small wooden shack lye two mammals - a male and a female. One was a wolf, the other, was not. They lye against one another upon a simple bed with four wooden bedposts. The room was mostly empty but for the bed - except for a single wooden cabinet with a phone upon it, a number of mislaid woodworking tools, two sets of discarded cloths and some very basic versions of life's most bare necessities.

The male of the two groaned happily as he lay back, his legs and arms around the smaller female. He was the wolf. The wolf put his paw to her cheek and kissed her only ear. He rubbed his claws affectionately into the fur at the back of her neck and her breath hitched in return.

The wolf was albino. His silken fur was whiter than snow - head to foot white, neither blemish nor mark of any kind other than the soft white. His eyes glinted silvery-white like the moon... and his heart(?)

His eyes closed, the wolf pressed his muzzle to the female's face, causing her to jolt. The wolf expected as much. Having only just met one another it was understandable that she would be 'apprehensive' towards doing what they had just done and where about to do again.

She was not of the same species as him - other wolves had never interested him - and her heartbeat became yet more rapid as the white wolf rubbed a possessive paw across her bear chest. Her breath baited - gasping to a stop - at his next action, her heart leaped yet further into her throat and she started to tremble with the anticipation of what was to come.

An adoring smile on his lips, he brought his muzzle close to hers. He opened his jaw, his teeth shimmering, and pushed his tong into her mouth. Her eyes shut tight and her trembling increased. The wolf slid his hand from her neck, slipping it down to cress the smooth fur of her back.

His arousal growing, his hand moved to hold her rump. Pulling with his hand and pushing with his hips, he impaled the whole of his length firmly within her.

The female's scream at his entry was lost to the tong the wolf pushed deeper into her mouth... not than anyone would have come if she had screamed out; the nearest possible 'help' being three miles away, far away form this unoccupied part of the forest.

He started to work at her. She pushed against him but had neither the strength nor the will to resist. He licked at her face. He growled as his speed increased but then... his phone started to ring. He grunted, heavily.

 _Whoever it was could wait... he was busy._

He loved _everything_ about her small body. He loved the smooth slopes of her hips, he loved her creamy-tan fur. He loved all the small moaning sounds she made at every movement he made within her. He loved her scent, her warmth, her cooperativeness...

 _She moved a little - trying to shift away from him - and so the wolf shot out his arm and held her beneath him, keeping the small mammal pinned exactly where she was._

...he loved the way her body shivered against him, adored the small sobs that escaped her lips. He wallowed in the scent of her fear and her pain, and hungrily lapped up all the blood which dripped from the many cuts he had etched all across her face.

Her black eye. Her torn face. Her slashed arms. Her crumpled legs. The blood which ran in a steady stream from the nose he had broken. The ear he had bitten and torn off during his last climax. The bruises forming all across her body. The rope tying her to the bed, cutting deep into her wrists and ankles, as she writhed to get away form him.

His silken fur was whiter than snow - cold and remorseless. His silver eyes glinted more distant than the moon - without compassion or emotion - a pail, soulless void... and his heart? His heart was blacker than the darkest pits of Hell.

The wolf rushed to a climax, wanting to relieve himself unto the crying, terrified body which was pinned beneath him - causing a horse wail escaped her in an exhausted cry from the pain. He wanted to finish her properly, but in a few more seconds the call would end automatically... and 'He' wouldn't like it if he missed 'His' call. The wolf knew it was Him calling - no one else did - and He would not be at all happy if the wolf ignored his phone. The wolf climaxed. The female sobbed, begged, " _no more, no more_!"

The wolf bit hard into her neck.

A final, sickening whimper escaped her lips as her dying breath gurgled out of her, her mouth filling with glistening, crimson blood. The sound was like music to the white wolf, and he made a deep happy sound with the back of his throat as he withdrew himself from her naked dead body... which now lye tortured and defiled, tied to bed, bleeding from wounds across all her body. Bight marks, cuts, buses and tares. Her wrists bleeding from where the thin rope had cut into her.

The wolf sank his teeth deeper and tore out her throat. He would eat the rest later, but coney never tasted as nice cold. He stood - sucking up the juices of the raw meet in his mouth - and picked up his phone.

It was a video call. It was from Him.

The white wolf pressed 'answer'.

"Ahh, Wulf," said the image of the mammal which appeared in front of him, "there you are, I was starting to wonder."

The wolf grunted. 'He' smiled.

"Have you been enjoying the rabbit I sent you?"

The wolf grinned - a trickle of the rabbits still-warm blood running down his chin - and the eyes of the face on the screen flicked to look past the wolf and onto the bed, looking at the motionless body - with its arms and legs tied to the four bed posts - the bed-sheets soaked red with her blood.

A twitch of a smile came onto His muzzle and a cold light lit up in his eyes. "I see you have. Good." His eyes flicking back to Wulf, his mouth broke into a grin as corrupt and wretched as the wolves. Leaning forwards, the face on the screen, spoke again.

"...would you like another?"


	15. Insider Information

**Apologies** **for my delay, but I was performing a live-weapons Viking Battle reenactment with the group 'Wuffa' (they have a website) at Sheringham and I spent the day (from half past one to twenty to ten) wearing thirty-seven pounds of armor, carrying a three pound sword and a nine pound shield and fighting with other Vikings before before marching down to the seafront in a torch-parade (at nightfall) and setting fire to am reproduction Viking Longship on the beach. Yes, that is actually me on my user Avatar - in full battle kit, stood before the burning boat.**

But anyway, the next chapter.

* * *

Judy Hopps lent forwards, cleared her throat, and flicked on the tape recorder.

"Officers Judy Hopps and Nicholas Wilde recording. Interrogation of Fennec fox, Finnick, commencing at..." realizing she had no means with which to tell the time, she looked over to Nick for support.

Nick glanced at his watch. "Well gosh darn it Hopps," he said, "would you believe it, my watch has been stolen!"

"Nick," she replied coldly, "you don't wear a watch; this is official now, no mucking about."

"Sorry Carrots," he shrugged.

"What did I just say?"

Nick was genuinely perplexed. "...what?"

"Don't call me Carrots, Nick, this is going on file! Call me officer Hopps."

"Yes sir! Time is quarter past eleven, officer Hopps, Sir!"

Judy made a low grumbling sound with the back of her throat, sat back with a huff, and then documented the time into the tape recorder.

 _Okay_ the interrogation room was the inside of a ZPD cruiser (with Judy in the drivers seat, Nick in the front passenger seat and Finnick in pawcuffas in the back) - parked in the confines of a blind ally for privacy - and _okay_ the tape recorder resembled a carrot in appearance and its primary function was transferring ink onto paper... but that didn't mean they could just forget about the formalities.

"Interrogation begins: eleven fifteen. Finnick," Judy asked, her voice as calm as it was professional, "for the perporces of legal procedure, will you please divulge your full name."

"Finnick Doghouse Marlowe," grinned Finnick from his place in the back seat... his smile dropped, however, at Nick's correction.

"It's Finnegan Viola Dipesto."

"Well - well Nickey's middle name's Piberius!" Finnick shot back.

"I know," Judy replied coolly, "and mine is Laverne; so can we all please stop with this pointless argument and get back to the matter at hand...?" She looked to Nick, asking _him_ more than she was Finnick.

"What, don't look at me, he started it!" Said Nick, indignant.

"And I'm ending it, sweetie"

Nick's reply was a simple casual shrug and a lazy smile... accompanied with a build-up of heat around his neck that made him want to tug at his collar from being called 'sweetie' by someone who, not ten minutes ago, he had actually kissed at very long last.

"So, Finnegan Viola Depesdo," she failed to contain the snort that escaped her, "first question: for what reason where you at the condemned factory Ladders and Ladders and Co.?"

"I wuz never at dat place, an you can't say that I wuz!"

"Well, officer Wilde seems to think you where, and seeing how he is a fox of exceptional nasal capacity and also a close friend of yours-" Finnick made a spitting sound and Nick threw her a sharp look. "...seeing how Wilde _was_ a close friend of yours," she corrected, "we can take it for grant that you where, in fact, there." Finnick still seamed reluctant.

"I know you scent better than anyone," Nick said, "and that fact that you bolted as soon as we mentioned 'Ladders' suggests to me you have something to do with the murder."

"Wait," Finnick said as he sat up in the seat, "there really iz a murder?"

"Yes." Said Judy, "why do you think we'd say so when there wasn't?"

"Wh - what species?"

"A fennec fox." She said.

"A fenn... no!" From shouting and angry one second, Finnick fell to quiet and remorseful the next. "Oh, godz no." He gazed out of the window, his face a mix of both anger and sadness.

Nick and Judy shared a concerned glance. Did they imagine the small sniffing sound?

"Was - an - an how did he die?"

"Execution," answered Nick, watching with interest as the 'thought-to-be infallible' foxes ears dropped and his eyes shut tight, pounding a small dejected fist into the upholstery. "The victim was shot through the back of the head at close range by small arms - most likely a pistol - and then buried beneath a pile of wood before being set in flames along with the rest of the factory.

Finnick was silent for a long time - both Nick and Judy listening with fascination at the hitching of his breath.

"Finnick," Judy said at length, "where you close to the victim?"

"He - he was my brother." A stunned silence filled the air. But after a moment Nick reached out to the back seat and put a hand on Finnick's shoulder. "Don't touch me, Copper," he said, the seance of betrayal clear in his slightly tremulous voice.

The red fox slowly withdrew his hand. "Finnick," he said, "you need to answer our questions. If the victim really is your brother, isn't it in your interest to help us find his murderer?"

"Yeah," Finnick said at length, "I get you."

"Thank you." Nick sat back in his chair. "I realize this must be distressing for you Finnick, but you never mentioned you had any other family relations, did you get on well with... I'm sorry, what was his name?"

"...Frank," Finnick replied airily, regaining control over his emotions (visibly at least) "and nah, we never really got on. He was about az much of a brother to me as your dad was to you before he overdo-"

"Finnick(!)" Nick's firm gaze held Finnick's for a moment, then the small fox glanced to the rabbit, back to Nick, and carried on as before.

"...before your dad passed on." Finnick paused for a few seconds in thought, then continued, "I haven't seen Frankfurt for nearly four years - he wuz jus' az crooked as I remembered him - he turned up out of the blue a couple of dayz ago, drunk out of his skull, high on drugz, an asking if he could borrow a couple'a grand to get his paw in a major drugs-trafficking operation going down."

"At Ladders?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, at Ladders - s'why I bolted when I heard the name, I thought he'd been caught and blabbed my name. So anyway, when he asked me for cash, I guessed I could kinda trust him - we've never been on 'good terms' per say, but we've always helped each other out when we really needed it."

"But still, handing out over a thousand pounds?" Judy asked, disbelieving what she was hearing, "from what officer Wilde has told me, that's not like you. What was your motive?"

The fox grunted, crossing his cuffed paws over his chest to stair at the brick wall which surrounded the front, left and right of the car out of the window (keeping them mostly from the sight of the public) as he answered, the air of annoyance about his voice as he knew what he was admitting to could get him into legal trouble if handled incorrectly.

"Frank said to me: there's a huge shipment of puff commin' in, crates of the stuff, and not just cocaine - ketamine, heroine, speed and even a few really rare kinds that you never really come across apart from in the far east."

"God," Judy breathed, unable to hold in the shocked comment even if this was going on official records, "you mean that's the scale of this drug spree? A whole warehouse of the stuff?"

"Das it exactly - you know you're not as dumb as you look being a rabbit. Deez guyz, whoever they are, ain't interested in selling by the gram - making a little cash here and there on the street - their treating this like a major operation, selling it cheap by the _**crate**_ to dealers like my brother who then sells it off 'emselves. They keep there hands cleaner too - just a little - but it makes 'em just a little more untouchable."

Both officers listened in stunned silence, never even considering the problem was so extensive until now.

"Anyway," Finnick continued, "he said dat he was broke - well that was no surprise, I've never known him not to be broke - but dat if he could borrow two or three thousand he could buy a _heap_ of puff on the cheap and sell it for something like eighty percent profit... and that I, in return, could share in that profit."

"So the dealers selling loose eighty percent of their revenue?" Judy asked, "how can that work? Surely that can't be profitable in any way."

"Unless..." Nick answered, half turning to Judy as he spoke, "...unless these drugs are made outside of these parts - not just out of Zootopia but, like, out of the country - in foreign places where the climate is much higher and illegal drugs will grow naturally without all the expensive equipment which makes it hard to do here in Zootopia. I think," he continued, his voice rising as the pieces fell into place, turning fully to Judy with a touch of satisfaction at working it out.

"I think these drugs must be grown _real cheap_ in another country and then shipped over into Zootopia where it's far more expensive. Usually it's not profitable because of the expense of fuel for the boat and for hieing a crew and shipping rights and stuff, but if it was shipped in large enough quantities - say, one of those massive tankards (probably unmarked so it couldn't be tracked even if they where found out) - then we are talking a _serious_ amount of illegal substance."

"How much?" Came Judy's exasperated reply.

"Carrots," Nick said, his voice edged with concern, "one of those things could carry two hundred thousand tons easy, possibly even more, right into our docks and we wouldn't even know."

After a moment, the rabbit opened her mouth. "Oh shi _-"_

"Ship?" Nick corrected before Judy could swear on tape.

"Nick, we have to tell Bogo!" Doing all in seconds, she clicked her seatbelt on, revved the car into life and reversed out of the blind alley.

"Hey, hay, hay!" Finn yelled, tugging at the handle of the locked door in the now-moving car, "we had a deal remember? I tell you what I know and you let me off scot-free!"

"I'm sorry Finnick," Judy said sincerely, "but this is way bigger than-"

"Nick," Finnick interrupted, shouting, "stop her and let me go or I tell Hopps here about you an' Scarlett!"

Nick's eyes, wide with horror, shot around to look at Finnick. "You wouldn't."

"I would."

"Finn, you swore!"

"And your piece of fluff," he muttered, "promised to let me go if I answered your questions! Anyway, there are plenty of other _interesting_ _stories_ that Hoppsey there might be interested to hear - I don't even need to mention _Scarlett_."

Nick turned to face the rabbit - Judy glancing at Nick out of the corner of her eye whilst driving - and then turned back to Finnick, a stoic expression on his face. The red fox appeared indicative about what to do, so Finnick helped him decide.

"When Nick was seventeen," he let his speech pour out in a hurried rush of information without pauses, making it nice and clear to Nick that he had no intention of stopping unless the car did, "he came back from a party late one night and found his dad dead on the kitchen floor from a drug overdose an' foaming from the mouth wit-"

"SHUT UP!" Nick yelled, "Judy, STOP the car!"

"Nick," Judy said, "I-"

"Stop this car, Now!"

After a moment Judy slowed the car to a stop. She glanced at Nick as the last of the forwards momentum subsided and the vehicle became motionless, he was sat in his seat, staring straight ahead, his ears where neither up nor really down, his expression was impassive and statue-like, he acknowledged neither Judy nor Finnick as he continued to sit there, motionless, like he had been turned to stone... only the heavy rise and fall of his chest and clenched knuckles portraying any sign of his true ire.

When Nick didn't speak, Judy spoke for him.

"Okay, Finnick, you're free to go." She clicked a button on the dashboard and the auto-locks clicked off.

"Err, hey," Finnick said mockingly, "dumb bunny? You forgot der keys!"

"I didn't forget - dumber fox - but if you want the key you have to answer a few more questions... particularly after the mean stunt you just pulled on my friend _and_ partner."

Finnick made an angry noise in the back of his throat... a response Judy smugly took to mean 'yes'.

"Okay, just to get things clear, why was your scent smelt at Ladders and Ladders when me and Nick-"

"It wasn't my scent," Finnick interrupted, "it was the scent of my brother. I thought that wuz obvious but I forgot how dumb your kind are. Look, rabbit, foxes of the same litter always smell very alike, understand, capiche?"

Judy's face twitched at the 'your kind' comment (just like she had at 'your not as dumb as you look being a rabbit') and - had she and Nick not been in dire need of his information - Finnick would have currently found himself face-down on the floor with a foot pressing into the back of his neck and his arms held in a lock behind him... Judy didn't care how much of a good fighter he was, she could take him in a second!

Instead she turned to Nick, hoping to have Finnick's claim either confirmed or denied. "What do you think, Nick, could the scent have been Finnick's brother?"

His gaze didn't move, his ear didn't flick, his muzzle didn't twitch; Judy turned back to Finnick.

" _Right..._ we'll take that as a given truth for now. Next question, why do you think this, Frank, was killed by the people wanting to sell their wares to him?"

"How do I know? Could have been an argument about the price, they could have been attacked by a rival gang, could have been the whole thing was a set-up done by someone with a grudge against Frank personally. I, don't, know."

Judy took in this information, considering - this information was all good, but they didn't have any leads to follow - so she asked a third question, hoping to attain one. "What address was the deceased living at most recently."

"He don't live anywhere," Finnick answered, just a little too quickly to be the truth.

He and Nick had one thing very much in common, Judy realized - they where both good lyres - but, having learnt how to lye from one another, they both lye in exactly the same way. Because of this, Judy found she could read Finnick almost as easily as she could read Nick, and she knew he was lying.

It was because of how quick he had answered that had given it away - she had spotted the lye about Nick's booking of a table at Joe's Place in the same way - because he had preempted the question before it had come and formulated an answer in advanced... stating the answer before a natural - truthful - answer would have had time to form.

"I don't believe that for a second, Finnick," Judy said, "you're not seriously telling me that your brother was planning to conciel and sell a _crate_ of illegal substance while living on the street. He must have lived somewhere, otherwise he would surly have-"

"Okay!" The tan fox snapped at her, "sure, fine, yeah whatever. He lives at twenty-two Richter Street. It's on the South East side of Zootopia. Room seven."

"Thank you, Viola Depesto," she said, chucking the pawcuff keys towards him, "your help has been most useful."

"Viola Depesto," he muttered, bitterly, under his breath (probably too quiet for Nick to hear, but _just_ on the verge of hearing for the rabbit), "I'll give you Viola-bloody-Depesto you slutty little bitc-"

"Finnish that sentence - Finn - and I'll taser you."

The car was silent for a second while Judy and Finnick stared at the still-motionless form of Nick who had spoken. Then - a look of panic and surprise across his muzzle - Finnick rushed to undo the second cuff, open the door, mutter a goodbye to Nick, slam the door and rush away.

Judy watched Finnick as he made his way off. The air hung heavy with silence. Judy could feel the dark mood of her partner beside her as Finnick disappeared around a corner.

Judy looked to him, licked her lips a nervously and spoke. "Thanks." He didn't so much as blink in reply.

Judy took in a slow lungful of air, reached out to her carrot pen which had worked as a tape recorder for the interview and picked it up quietly.

"Interrogation terminated at..."

"Twenty-two minutes past." Came his hollow reply.

"...at eleven twenty-two."

She sat back, flicked off the record button and put the device in her pocket before speaking again.

"We don't have to put the bit about your dad on file. We can wipe it out with a few seconds of static if you like - no one would suspect - and even if they did they'd be no way of getting it back." Impassive silence was his only response. "Nick?"

Judy looked at the fox beside her - the moody, motionless form. She gazed at his blank expression, expecting his eyes to at least flicker towards her for a moment, but they didn't, Nick merely stared out at the street. Judy raised a paw from the gear stick and slid it across to Nick's paw. She had hoped that when her 'small soft paw' (which she knew her partner liked the feel of a great deal) took Nick's that he would hold hers in return... but he did no such thing.

She didn't let go of his paw, however, as she spoke next.

"Nick?"

"Twenty-two Richter Street, South East Zootopia. Drive on." His voice was cold, distant. It frightened Judy to hear Nick sounding so icy and a part of her wanted to drop the subject and drive on - it was what Nick wanted, after all - but Judy knew she had to press on. It may not have been what Nick wanted, but it was what he needed. This was Nick's emotional pain-barrier, and like the pain-barrier in exercise, the only way to beat it, was to press on through it.

"Not yet," she said softly, keeping his unmoving paw in hers, "soon, but first I think we should talk about this, this is far more important."

"Drive on."

"I've said to you before 'what happened in the past shouldn't effect your future' - that was dumb of me, of course what happened in the past effects you, you'd have to be a robot to go through what you've been through without coming out scarred."

"Judy, drive on"

"But trying to ignore it and pretend it never happened isn't gonna fix it! I know you don't like talking about this kind of thing, but believe me, talking about it will help. If you carry on ignoring it like you have been it'll just eat away inside you, but if you open up about it - if you let me in rather than lock me out - than I can help you. I want to help you."

"Please, drive on."

"No." She said, determination building within her. "This is important. This is about you moving on from horrors of your old life so so you can enjoy what _we_ have _now_." She took his other paw in hers, leaning closer to him, both of his paws held in both her paws.

"This is about enjoying the future we have together - you and me - us. We have the whole of the rest of our lives to live, Nick..." Judy's eyes sparkled with what she was trying to convey in her next words "...and, if you like, I'd be _more_ than happy to spend it all of it with you - _'together'_ "

Nick glanced at Judy - his ears high and his eyes wide with pleasant surprise - at the subtle implication of marriage which he must he must of picked up on, but if Nick allowed the dizzy kind of bliss that shot through his veins at the thought to show on his face for too long... then the pain he was feeling beneath would show through as well and so - though he hated himself for it deeply - Nick made the glance fleeting, forced his face back into a neutral expression and, as he spoke again, kept his voice a tone darker than it had been.

" _Drop it._ Drive on."

She sat in silence for a moment - Nick was becoming moody. She had to talk him down, calm him, make him see that she only wanted to help him. From holding his paw, Judy moved her hands up - rubbing them softly on his chest as they moved up - to slip around Nick's neck. Her paws enclosing Nick's neck in what she hopped was a soothing motion, she stood and pressed her head against his, her nose rubbing softly against Nick's cheek while Nick continued to stair blankly out of the front window just as he had been.

"What I'm trying to say to you - Nick - is that I'm here for you. I've always been here for you and I always will be. That's what it means to be partners. Let me help you, I want to help you, because if we're going to fix this we need to do it together, like we do everything together." He still made no reaction. Judy started to loose heart. She sighed and then pulled herself away, standing up on the drivers seat to watch him as she spoke.

"Nick," she asked, her speech as patent and caring as it had been from the start "are you listening to me?" Her voice rose in pitch as she spoke - pleading in the dark confines of the car. "Nick...? Nick? Nic-"

 **"Drive, on."**

Her expression turned ashamed, but then grew into an angry glower. " _Fine_ ," she said, sitting and restarting the engine, "if you want to be like that - Mr 'Don't let them see that they get to you' - then be like that!" With an aggressive _thunk_ , she pulled the car into gear before pulling away down the road.

"...just don't expect _any_ offers of help from me in the future," she blabbed, her words slurred with emotion and tears stinging her eyes before bitterly shouting "because you won't get it!"

She revved the engine high and tore away down the street in an angry silence. Nothing more was said between the two as Judy drove on.

Slowly, Nick turned his head away from the window. He stared out at the passing buildings and public and then, after a moment, brought his paw up to his face. Judy was staring fixedly at the road; Nick was glad of this, because if Judy did glance over at him - she might have noticed the deafed tears that where streaking his face... tears of his past and, more painfully, tears of what a terrible mammal he was being to the wonderful rabbit he never in a million years deserved.


	16. Richter Street

Richter street was part of the old side of Zootopia. This place was different from Soho in some ways, the same in others. While it was far less sleazy (every third woman you met wasn't a prostitute and every fifth building wasn't a casino) this had the knock on effect that the people inhabiting this place lived in far more poverty.

Without the income the sex and gambling industry brought Soho, the residence of Richter Street where seen rarely - either working long hours for low pay or preserving their heat and energy at home - so the pavement of Richter Street - rather than packed like the streets of Soho - where devoid of all life as a ZPD police car came driving down the road.

The car pulled to a stop by the edge of the cracked pavements on the tarmac road which was in dire need of resurfacing. The car stopped on what was technically a no-parking zone... but the paint which designated it as such was so faded as to be illegible. The rabbit driving turned off the engine and got out briskly, letting the door slam behind her, shaking the car a little as she marched away.

From inside the car - which had been silent since the rabbits final outburst of emotion - the fox watched forlornly as she continued her speeded walk towards number twenty-two (which was an apartment block: tall, thin, wedged between two other likewise buildings) knowing that she wouldn't wait for him and it was too much to expect her to.

"Well Nick," he muttered as she moved further and further away, "that's the end of this relationship."

However, after climbing the small flight of concrete steps to number twenty-two, Judy came to a stop by the blue door with frosted glass windows. She didn't turn away from the door - didn't look over to Nick still in the car - but she did wait for him... if anything, it made him feel worse as Judy's words floated up through his mind.

 _"Nick, you are my partner. Everything we do, we do together Nick, the good and the bad. To be the best we can be, we need to take and give everything we have to each other. If that means being late for you? It doesn't matter in the least, so long as we do it together."_

 _"Sometimes Carrots," he had said in reply, "I really love you."_

 _"...only sometimes?"_

He had really believed in her as she said that - but moreover he believed in himself - that he was finally ready to share himself with another person after so many years shut off, locked away. It was not the first time Nick had sourly mislaid his trust in himself and so should not have been surprised him when he raised his emotional walls against Judy, shutting himself off from the rabbit who he loved dearly and (he was fairly sure) quite possibly liked him in sort of 'that' way in return.

He looked over to Judy - quite a way off from him, stock still, staring at the blue door, waiting for him to join her.

He wanted to believe he was ready to love again - he wanted to let himself love Judy so badly - but, as he had just seen: he, still, needed only a slight push for him to raise his walls against Judy, cutting himself off from her in a dreadful lack of trust.

 _You only hurt the people you love.._. Nick's conscious told him _... you should know that by now._

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath, "damn it all to hell."

...

Across the street, Judy had counted off nearly a whole three minutes in her head. That was two minutes longer than she had intended to allow him - and yet, when it came to he time she had told herself she would leave the stubborn fox to his own fate - she found she could not pull herself away fro him just yet. She waited longer regardless.

But, at length, the truth came upon her. Nick was never coming. Judy, biting her bottom lip to hold a tear at bay, reached her hand out to the door handle but, as soft paw touched cold metal, her ears swiveled at a sound behind her. She turned with a start, something like relief filling her as Nick, at long last, emerged from the dark confines of the ZPD cruiser.

As quickly as the joy at his coming came, however, it was, again, relapsed by the seance of betrayal that he had struck within her when he blanked her - completely blanked her - while she threw herself emotionally upon him, hoping to make him open up and face the demons. Emotion, which cascaded off him like water around a stone, leaving him no different than before yet leaving Judy an emotional wreck.

The rabbit kept silent - staring at the blue door, motionless - as the fox moved to stand beside her. As much as she regretted the fact, she was already finding it hard to be mad at him.

"We just gonna stand here all day," she said, venomously, "or where you planning on opening the door sometime."

The fox made no reply of the rabbits remark though a number of cutting retorts came to his mind. He kept them all down; she didn't deserve insults, not at all. Silently, Nick reached out and pushed the blue door open. Without a word, Judy stepped in and Nick closed the door as he followed.

The inside was grey and dimly lit - yet clean - and not as run-down as some of the buildings on that street. The floor was imitation wood, scratched but well polished. The wallpaper was old and peeling at the corners. Together, yet somehow, apart - they walked down the corridor and to a speaker in the wall, Judy pressing a buzzer.

The male voice which crackles over the radio in reply asks for their name and room number, but Judy reported she was an officer investigating a murder and was then let into the main complex. There was a notable lack of banter between the two as they walked to room seven on the first floor - the rabbit ignoring the fox and the fox making no attempt to be noticed by the rabbit as he walks - a little further than usual - behind her.

Entering through the metal gate which sectioned off the security-camered porch of the block of flats, Wilde and Hopps walked down a long narrow corridor. The floor of this corridor was carpeted - a rough, old, industrial carpet, meant for durability and cost efficiency rather than comfort - blue in color, yet stained in many places and pulling up from the corners, the carpet tacks bare to the room.

The walls are grey and lifeless, the ceiling is of cheap panel with a number of the panels missing, the lights - long beams which run down the length of the corridor at intervals of around twenty feet - are too few and far between and do not put out enough light to illuminate the corridor properly, so darkness darkness hangs and in abundance, separated only by the dull yellow put off by the lights, along with the faded blue of the carpet, the dull grey of the walls and the creamy yellow of the thin plywood doors.

Judy paces on down the lengthy corridor - ignoring the fact her partner had fallen quite some way behind - and marched on towards a door which was clearly marked '7' by a brass number which was screwed below the peep-hole. The number appeared to be in brass but, on closer inspection, was actually plastic - tarnished and brittle with age. Judy stopped just before the door and waited for the fox to catch up - again, not looking at him, but staring blankly at the door as he approached and starting to speak, his voice soft, as he came to stand beside her.

"Hopps, look, I-" unbolting the lock with the key she was given, Judy opened the door and stepped inside, letting it close on the fox as he spoke, cutting him off whatever apology he was about to try and make as his paw shot out to stop the door from closing and locking him out.

Nick sighed, pushed the door open again, and then followed silently, scanning the room he entered into.

The room matched much of what they had seen of the building so far - mostly blue in color, percolated with dull yellow of off-white, dimly lit by an old ceiling beam, grimy, smelly, moldy, rotten. It was a square room - about four times the size of Judy's - and had two closed doors which lead off to other rooms (as well as the third door they entered into) and this room, apparently, was the living room.

Against the far wall was a sofa, creamy blue, with old and torn upholstery which revealed the firm, uncomfortable padding of the cushions beneath and with a number of burn marks - apparently cigarette burns - upon the arms of the chair. Against the corner of the wall was a small television with a smashed screen. Against another wall was a window which looked directly upon another brick house across the street.

There was little else in the living room apartment but for a low cabinet of old junk and a few books, some miscellaneous litter scattered here and there and a clothes-hook upon the door with a heavy black coat of fleece material - fennec-fox sized.

This coat was spotted by Nick as he closed the door and, on a spur of the moment thought, he rooted through its pockets and found a small piece of mettle in the inner breast pocket. He took it out.

Nick looked up at the rabbit who was taking a slow pace around the room, proffering what he had found towards her. "Hey, I've found a key." Judy glanced up at him - actually she looked at the key, avoiding direct eye contact with the fox - and then went back to looking into the room. "...what do you think this opens?" She didn't even glance up at him that time, walking to one of the two doors and opening it to revile an airing cupboard containing a mop, bucket and a few cardboard boxes of junk. "See anything?" Nick said as she passed him, crossing the room towards the other door which she opened without comment to the fox, revealing a kitchen which she stepped into, closing the door behind her.

Nick stared up at the ceiling for a moment, then looked down the small key he held - it wasn't a 'real' key (not any doorkey Nick had ever seen at any rate) it looked more like the key to a jewelry box or a small safe rather than anything truly important like a door. He slipped it into his pocket, walked across the room and entered into the kitchen. Judy had turned the light on in the light in the small, narrow kitchen. The kitchen consisted of little more than a fridge, a cooker and a line of draws and cabinets which encompassed two-thirds of the room.

 _The chipped, tile floor was hard beneath Nick's feet..._

"Look, Hopps, I'm sorry I ignored you. Can you forgive me?" It sounded as pathetic as Nick thought it would, and he wasn't surprised when Judy carried on as though nothing had been said, not even turning an ear towards him.

 _...almost as hard as Judy's shoulder, in fact._

"Carrots, please." He placed a paw on her back from behind her. She walked immediately away from him, knelt down, opened another cabinet and started searching through that. "Hopps, I know I was wrong to ignore you like that. I fully deserve this treatment from you, but-" Judy pushed Nick aside a little to access the draw he was stood in front of... moving him as though he was just an object.

"Judy," Nick said from his place just beside her, "Judy. Judy!"

She stood, turning to him sharply. "Oh, talking to me now are you?"

"Come one Carrots, don't be like that."

Reaching out, Nick moved to touch her shoulder, but Judy slapped his paw harshly away before it even got half way between them. "Don't you dare tell me how not to behave; you're the one who's acting like a jerk!" Storming away from the draw she was searching, Judy opened a cabinet across the other side of the kitchen and started looking there.

"I can't do this with you if you're going to keep switching off your emotions like that!" She shouted across her shoulder, shifting through the contents of the draw. "If we're going to be lovers - which _is_ something I want, badly - then you're gonna have to show me that you trust me enough to talk to me about these things!"

Nick crossed the room, standing just behind her with his paws either side of her, resting on the cabinet's surface. "It's not a matter of trust - Judy - it's just, it's painful."

She turned and shoved into his chest, bracing herself against the cabinet, sending Nick stumbling back to the center of the room. "But we share that pain, that's what being a team means!"

"This is my burden to carry, not yours." he retorted, pacing back towards her. "I will not be the reason for-"

"What, making me cry?" She said, side-stepping his advance and moving back into the living room. "You think I can't handle a little heartache when it's for _your_ benefit?"

"You where nearly in tears back at the factory just at the mention of my families involvement with drugs!"

Judy walked over to the wall to glare out of the window with her back to the room, her voice just a _touch_ softer. "I wasn't prepared for it then, but I am now, and we-"

"Hopps, just shut up and listen," he said, his voice almost a growl, as he approached her from behind - "now, I'm not gonna apologize for how I acted, but I will make ame-"

Persuaded still, Judy span on her heals, brought her arm around in a wide ark and smacked the fox heavily across the side of the face with the back of her hand.

...

Nick blinked at her. Slowly, not quite sure what just happened, he raised a paw to sooth the hot pain in his cheek. Blinking again, squinting as his mind processed what just happened, Nick's berating became heavy as realization of what just happened kicked in.

Time - which had apparently slowed - returned to normal and Nick took a small clumsy step away from Judy, holding his cheek with his paw, his expressive eyes filled with a look of pain as he looked into Judy's eyes which suddenly filled with a look of fear as Nick backed away another step.

...at his second step Judy's trembling became visible and her paw which had done the deed shot to her gasping mouth as she moved towards the fox, Judy's other hand out to touch him - make him see she didn't mean it - with her voice high and trembling with worry.

"Oh God, Nick, please! No, I - I didn't mean that! I'm sorry!"

She rushed forwards to close the distance Nick had put between them, putting a paw out to touch his arm in what she hoped would be an affectionate gesture. It wasn't. Nick hurriedly pulled his arm away, gasping from the touch, stepping back again, a look of hurt - emotional hurt - written across his face as he withdrew himself physically and mentally in a way he hopped he would never have to do again.

"Nick, please," she said, softer as he backed off to the door, "please, I didn't mean to do that, I-" Her ears pricked up with realization of what Nick was about to do as he opened the door to the apartment and Nick - his eyes wide and his ears high with emotional pain - and stepped out. "No. **No!** "

She leaped at him - actually throwing herself across the room at him - and flung her arms and legs around his neck and waist just as he was about to disappear. Her weight overbalanced him and Nick fell to the floor, instantly struggling to push the rabbit off himself, shoving her head and her body to rid himself of the arms and legs which where wrapped so tightly around him.

"Let me go!" He snapped at her after a moment of unsuccessful pushing.

"Let go of the best thing that ever came into my life?" She shouted. "Never!"

"Judy, let me go!"

"Nick, I'm sorry I slapped you. I-"

"Shut up, just, shut up!" Snarling, he continued to push at her, trying to untangle himself from Judy's small but strong frame. "The people you're close to allays hurt you in the end. I should have known that by know."

"I would never harm-..." The statement which Judy's mind had pushed forwards in the heat of the conversation trailed off. How could she even think she would never harm him? She just did! She still couldn't believe she had actually struck Nick - sure, she had delivered many playful punches to the arm - but there was nothing playful about the slap she delivered across the side of his face in an ire of worry, betrayal and concern.

Unable to complete her sentence, there was only one thing her mind thought fit to say... and she said it in a whimper into Nick's red ear.

"Nick, I love you."

"No." He murmured. "Don't say that."

The color drained form Judy's face as an overwhelming feeling of sickness took her. "Why... why not? D-Don't you love me?"

"I can't let myself!" He shouted to her in a sudden burst of fury, his whole body trembling.

With a sudden rush of terrifying dawning, Judy knew - _knew_ \- that this was the result of a ghost of his past. The fear Nick was feeling - the hurt, the pain - went far, far deeper than just the slap she had put across the side of his face though the slap doubtless was the inciting event for the resurfacing of this past pain. The rabbit was slightly revealed at this knowledge yet, at the same time, started feeling even worse for doing it.

"Why not?" She said, trying to discover what it was that was coming between herself, Nick and the love they should be allowing to pass freely between them.

"Judy, everyone I've ever cared about is dead." The words sent a shock through her small body, freezing it. Nick's body, on the other hand, started to convulse slightly, his eyes falling shut to stop the tears, his breath cumming and going as uneven snorts between stifled sobs and his voice week and trembling from emotion. "Everyone: Mom, Dad, Scarlett; everyone, apart from you."

Nick forced his eyes to open, though this allowed the tears to run down his cheeks and his voice to become yet weaker as he spoke.

"and I can't let myself love you or... or something might happen and I'll loose you two."

"It... it's okay Nick," Judy said, at a loss, doing all she could to offer her support. "I'm here for you. I'm here for you and-"

"I know you're here for me, no one else is. That's why I can't bare the thought of loosing you."

"Nick," Judy said, lowering her head to rest on his chest, feeling the rapid beating of his heart, "we can make it through this, you and I, just so long as we can trust each other enough and to-"

"Judy," Nick said, his voice slow... "will you please, let me up."

...

Silently, Judy took her hands away around his Nick and rested them against his shoulders. She uncoupled her hooked legs and withdrew them from around his back. She sat up, gazing down at the fox below her lying on the floor, gazing back up at her with eyes which could have made statues weep for the sadness within them.

Judy pressed her lips against his, her eyes falling closed. Nick didn't return the kiss, though it set his blood racing with a spike pf pleasure - a pleasure which, for the brief second it lasted, banished all feelings of grief and and torment from his body.

Judy stood. The misery came flooding back.

Nick took the paw Judy offed towards him, standing silently and keeping his gaze and his expression vague and his mind blank with Judy stood silently behind him. Stepping out into the corridor which was long and narrow, dimly lit and of a lifeless grey-blue color... Nick, slowly, started pacing his way down the corridor. Judy remained at the doorway, tears trickling down her face as her life walked away from her. As he reached the door at the end of the corridor - the door which would take him away forever - Judy called out.

"I love you."

...her voice echoed dully down the corridor. Nick stopped and half-turned to her, his ears raising a notch before he forced them back down, turned his back to her, turned his back on the world, turned back to the path lain before him and walked on... the front door opening, then shutting with a soft _click_ behind him.

* * *

"I love you two, Judy," the red fox muttered to the lonely silence that now surrounded him, "and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I couldn't have been a better mammal for you."


	17. So it goes

**"** **ohhhhhh my goodness where has this story been all of my life! I need this story to continue on! What will happen!? What will become of Nick and Judy!? Who was that mystery wolf and who will his next rabbit victim be? And what of the case? Will Wilde and Hopps be able to solve it? I NEED THE ANSWERS! Please continue on with this story! You have cast out the line and gotten me hook, line, and sinker! You have really built something here and I love what you are doing, not only with the plot line here but with the characters as well as Nick and Judy's relationship, you are creating such layers there especially with Nick I mean WOW! I am interested to see more of his past and your take on it, there really seems to be a darkness and heaviness there that a lot have not done so I would enjoy your take. So please come back and continue on this story! Because you are sitting on a gold mine."**

 **\- 'batbinmyheart91'**

 **Now that's a review and I thank you for it more than I can say.**

* * *

Rain fell on the roofs of the just and the unjust, the saints and the sinners, those who once knew peace and those who know peace no longer. The great black clouds, which once hung so heavily above the city, had finally befell and shrouded all light from the sun with their vastness and their blacktitude. Now, the world was but shadow, encased in the early darkness of a long cold night, enwrapped in the gloom of dusk, though it was barely past two o'clock.

So it goes in life - all men have their exits and their entrances, and one man in his time plays many parts - and when it is your time to leave it, whose right is it to judge? As one thing goes, so another thing comes. History likes circles. In addition, the end of one tragedy is merely a marker to signal the start of another, the ceasing of one storm but a moment of calm before another breaks upon the world, to turn all to ruin once more.

Fate is not without a seance of justice, however, and for all trespasses it enacts, so it shall make good that which it has done. No storm - no matter how long, no matter how bitter, no matter how endless it may appear - must, sooner or later, come to a head, and so justice be done, in time, with respite and with a blessing of good fortune - so shall Fate make amends for its sins.

The storm that hung above Zootopia was no different. It started to show signs of waning, as the winds of chance where high and gusting, and the clouds which had blackened the sky started to part and clear. But _this_ storm... was not, over, yet.

...

Upon a blue sofa, in a shabby apartment in the bad side of the wrong side of Zootopia, in the seventh room of the ground floor, in the twenty-second block of flats on Richter Street: a small hand reached deftly out from a crumpled pile of something once resembling Judy Hopps - which lay in a disheartened heap upon the coarse padding of the torn and burnt sofa.

The hand clutched weekly at the corner of a dull blue cushion - it was moldy, damp, probably teaming with spoors best not breathed in - and yet, for the rabbit who clutched onto it, all it was, was a means to stifle the bitter whimpers that tremulated up from the very depths of her lost spirit, something to catch and wipe away the tears which slowly ebbed down the - once soft and silken, now roughed and matted - fur on her cheek and, more so, something to cling to, hold to, for lack of anyone or anything else left to hold.

She had a fox she could hold onto once - she knew, she had a clear memory of him in the shredded wreckage of a mind she now possessed - red, kind, gentle. Charming and passionate, cleaver and cheeky, strong and handsome, tender, thoughtful, brave, caring, romantic and in every way - loving.

But, that was all gone now, all lost, and the rabbit was paralyzed by a comatose of emotion, her mind and body unable to function from the prospect that she had lost him, that she had lost him and would _never_ get him back. Judy - no longer aware if this was her own home or the home of somebody else - could do nothing but clutch to her pillow and the simple memory of the fox she loved, grinding herself deeper into the black places of her mind with the knowledge that it was all lost... and it was _all her fault._

When Nick had left her - banishing himself from her life - she had ambled back to the inner confines of room seven (as bitter a reminder to what had just passed between them as ever she could ever hope not to have) and had started, again, to search the premises.

First, she went back to the kitchen - but the memories in there were painful beyond the ability to linger within there - and she had slunk back into the living room. She opened the airing cupboard, gazed for quite a time at the many boxes of junk within, and closed it with a sigh. She had no enthusiasm for rooting through boxes for clues... come to think of it, she didn't have enthusiasm for anything anymore.

So... she shuffled her way back into the living room and plopped herself down upon the firm sofa against the far wall. She sat their, motionless, as her mind started playing it all back to her in a cruel montage, a tragedy, of all that had passed since entering that room.

As the memory of how venomously she had shouted came back, tears started to well in her eyes. As she remembered storming away from him and into the living room, they started trickling freely down her face. It was as the memory of the harsh slap she had put so heartlessly across his face, that those silent tears had turned to to sobs... and it was the memory of Nick taking those last steps away from her, her last words to him 'I love you', and how slight and subtle the _click_ had been after the door had shut behind him... which finally made the truth of the matter sink in _\- that she might never see the fox again -_ and she had collapsed into the fetal position, curling up within herself and had started crying in unrest.  
 _  
_It was all gone to damnation - and so she lye there, weeping, comatose, upon the sofa of a murdered fox, unaware of the passing of time, where she was and, to some extent, who she was.

 _"Nick..."_ was the only word the rabbit was able to huff, weekly, between tears as her clutch on the cushion intensified and her brain continued to shrivel in on itself _"_... _please, come back."_

...

"Hopps, this is Bogo; come in."

Judy's crying ceased as the sound of Bogo's voice startled her from her coma. _Was that actually real? Or was that just-_

"Repeat, this is Bogo. Come in, Hopps."

She sat up, pulling the two-way-radio out of its place on her utility belt and pulled it to her mouth. She did not press to respond however, taking in several deep and long breaths as she forced herself to recover from the trauma she was suffering inside. Bogo's call could not have come at a worse time. _Maybe if I ignore him and wait he'll just-_

"Hopps? Hopps! Hopps, do you read me?"

Who was she kidding - Bogo never gave up on calling an officer - he would keep calling until he became angry, then he would start shouting, then he would grow concerned and the shouting would get louder, then he'd report her and Wilde missing in action and order every ZPD officer to abandon their posts and start an emergency search of the city to find her... whereupon she would have to call Bogo to belay the search - revealing she had been there all along - and would probably be 'rewarded' for her insubordination with several weeks suspension to boot.

Groaning, she pressed the respond button... but the moment she opened her mouth to talk her voice cracked and her throat became dry, and she had to release the respond button so Bogo didn't hear her wailing on the other end.

"Hopps - I control your _wages_ remember - answer me!"

She pressed the respond button. This time, she held it. " _t - th - Th_ \- This is Hopps."

"And about bloody time to," he said, apparently missing the strain to her voice as he continued, "Leopolde and Jefferson have finished their report on the murder at 'Ladders'; I want you and Wilde back at HQ, pronto."

 _"N - Nick...?_ "

"Yes _-Hopps-_ Officer Wilde, the fox?" Came his sower reply, sarcastically followed by, "is that a problem?"

"Nick's, erm... Nick's not here, sir."

...a brooding silence was her only reply for a moment, then, "what do you mean 'Nick's not here'?"

"He - he's not here, sir."

" **I** _ **know**_ **!** " He bellowed, "you just said that! Now answer the bloody question! _Whhyyy_ is Nick not there?"

No, she couldn't tell Bogo what just happened between them! He'd probably suspend both of them, or fire Nick, or try to find him or... What could she say? _Think like Nick, what would Nick do?_ He'd lye. But, he would lye... _clearly_ , bending the lie around the truth so it was almost true anyway.

"He's attending to a family emergency, sir." Which was, in a way, true... sure, for all Judy knew they where all dead and he was the only living 'Wilde' left, but it was still closely related to them.

"Why wasn't I informed?" Bogo replied, his voice softer.

"It was urgent, and, he didn't have time to tell you before he left."

"And why didn't _you_ inform me?"

"It - erm - I've been busy investigating a strong lead. Actually, that's something we need to tell you about, or rather," she trailed off, adding, " _I_ need to tell you about..." she released the 'respond' button to stop Bogo hearing her as a fresh wave of emotion took her, and she rubbed her eyes carefully with thumb and index finger to try and clear the tears which started forming there again.

"I see... I wish to speak with him later. There have been... developments, in the murder case, and Leopolde and myself have some questions we would like to ask him."

She took in a slow, long breath, reasserted her self-control, and spoke. "Yes sir, I am currently searching the apartment of the murder victim, but there doesn't appear to be much here, so I'll head back to base now."

"Rodger that, Hopps. Out."

The radio crackled into silence. Judy stared blankly at the device, shut her eyes, lay back against the cushions, groaned, and set about re-constructing her psyche.

...

With a _click_ , the door to Nick's apartment was unlocked and the door swung slowly open. The red fox gazed at the interior of the room, though he wasn't really looking at anything. His emotional palate blank, he pulled his key out of the door, stepped in and shut the door behind him before pacing his way, automatically, towards the kitchen.

Nick's apartment was nicer than Judy's, but in the three years he had lived their it had never felt like home - heck, he had felt more at home at Judy's after one nights sleep on the floor - but, in hindsight, that was probably more to do with the company than the location.

He failed in his effort to make himself a drink from the kettle as thoughts of _her_ filled his mind, overwhelming him with sorrow beyond the point of sadness; leaving him like a soulless void, without emotion, as he paced into his bedroom and fell blankly onto his bed.

The lights where off and the room was dark, unlit by the lowering sun outside by the thick black clouds which still hung so very heavily in the air, the light rain pattering against his window. Usually, Nick found this sound soothing and could quickly fall into restful sleep listening to it - now, however - he found it irritating... just like everything else.

Nick was tired - tired of it all. His eyes fell slowly closed as he lay atop the rumpled sheets of the unmade bed. He felt cold, uncomfortable, smelly and dirty, hungry and thirsty... and he couldn't care less, because above all of the mundane pains of daily life, overshadowing all the usual emotions of the drudgery of life, above all of that - Nick felt...

 _~ broken ~_

...

Later, Judy Hopps rounded the corridor in the main building of the ZPD, coming to a stand before a door. It was a very large door - the brass doorhandles almost out of reach - and, upon its fount, on a likewise brass plaque, was a name: Chief Bogo.

Judy steeled herself, pushed all remnants of her emotional stresses away, checked her appearance in the half-reflection of herself in the glass panel of the door and decided she looked, apart from a little redness around the eye, much like her normal self.

Stretching up, she knocked on he door. "Enter," called a voice, Chief Bogo, from within. Judy reached up a little higher and pulled down the handle of the door which swung open a second later. "Hopps, good of you to join us," said Bogo with a professional, but polite, nod. "These are Officers Henry Leopolde and George Jefferson - you've met before."

"Officers," said Judy. Officer Leopolde was a lion, older than Jefferson by many years, and his - once golden, now gray - main hung around his head like the clouds that hang around the tallest mountain peaks. He stands as straight as a broom handle, his expression stoic and surly.

"Good to see you again, Officer Hopps," Leopolde said.

Officer Jefferson, in comparison, was a different story entirely. He lent upon the edge of a desk, his arms folded across his chest in an informal manor while his tail swished slowly back and forth behind him.

"How are you? Alright, Hopps?"

"I'm... _fine_ , thank you, Officer Jefferson."

"Jeffers, please."

"Okay," said Bogo, sat behind his large desk, "enough with the pleasantries, lets get this done, shall we?"

With that, Leopolde crossed to the center of the room, back straight, hands by his sides and Jefferson moved aside and started propping the wall up with his arms crossed. Bogo motioned for Judy to come forth and she moved towards Bogo's desk, sitting on her chair, facing away from her Chief who was sat impassively behind his desk, with both of them facing Leopolde. Judy beat down all outwards appearances of distress... but her apparent good-mood only _resembled_ being at ease. Leopolde cleared his throat and then started his report.

"In the following verbal report I shall cover the basic principals found in conjuncture of the murder of an unidentified Fennec fox, found on the premieres of Ladders and Ladders and Co at ten twenty-seven by Officers Judith L. Hopps and Nicholas P. Wilde."

"Yeah," Leopolde interjected, "and by that he means 'hello'."

" _A-hem..._ thank you for that input, Officer Jefferson. Now, shall I continue? Good," he said before the tiger could reply. "By close examination of the entry wound of the remains of the corps - that being little more than a skeleton - we managed to determine that the Fennec fox was unquestionably shot in the back of the head through the upper right temple by a taller mammal."

"Or the fox could have been kneeling at the time," added Jefferson.

"Indeed. Now, the entry wound clearly donated that the weapon was some form of small-arms, but without the bullet it was impossible to ascertain anything further. It was first assumed that the bullet entered the skull and became lodged within the brain - to fall out during the fulmination of the body and, subsequently, lost among the rubble - but, after close examination of the walls, Officer Jefferson identified the bullet implanted within the wall."

Leopolde stopped talking, reached into a pocket and produced a photograph of the wall where the bullet hole was. He handed it to Judy who looked at it politely - though couldn't see the point of showing her - as he returned to the exact same stance as before, continuing:

"Our guess now is that the bullet entered the skull through the upper right temple, but then made egress through either the right or left eye. We finally managed to extract this bullet." Stopping a second time, Leopolde produced another photograph which Judy, again, took and looked at politely despite the fact it didn't really mean a lot to her. "This confirmed our assumption the weapon used was a handgun. It is a point four caliber round, ACP, from a single-action weapon of short recoil, and I gave the task of identifying this bullet to Officer Jefferson - while I continued my search of the warehouse, which was to little or no avail, I might add."

The lion nodded his head and backed away to the wall, swapping places with the much younger and more jovial Jefferson, whose expression was far less surly, speaking with gesticulations and pacing from side to side a little also; quite a contrast to the stony manor of the lion.

"So," he said, "I ran up to a couple'a gun experts but no one seamed to know much about it. They said whatever it was, it must have been pretty rare, but eventually I found this rich collector or rare arms - Thomas I think his name was - and he told me it looked a lot like something the gun manufactures, Sturm and Ruger and Co. would make. Well, he put me onto this old guy up in Tundratown who's retired but who used to work for Sturm and Ruger, an' _he_ told _me_ it was a round from the old Ruger SR1911 he used to make at back at the factory. He said it was a quite outdated gun - inven'ed by John Moses Browning nearly a hundred years ago - but that the design has lasted very well and the gun's still widely used today."

The tiger patted down his pockets as he finished, searching for a photograph which he took out a moment later. He flattened the photo - which was very creased - against his raised knee (standing on one leg to do so) and handed it to Judy who looked at the photograph of the Ruger SR1911 upon it.

"Now this old guy," he continued; "he didn't know the ident number or anything, but he gave me the number of an old colleague of his who still works up at Sturm and Ruger. Well, I gave him a call, an' he said he remembered the gun and could access the files for the weapon, and to come on over to Ruger and see him. So, I did."

He then proceeded to take out of photo of himself stood in the car park of Sturm and Ruger, turning to Leopolde as he rooted it out. "Seriously, gramps, what's the deal with all this frigging photographing everything you had me do? We _have_ all the info, y' can't hardly see anything on them anyway and it takes frigging _ages_ too."

"Photographic evidence of the procedures of an investigation," Leopolde replied sternly to his junior, "can be invaluable if it goes to the courts. It's far better to have the evidence on hand and ready when it's needed than to rush around looking for proof after the investigation is over... and **don't** call me 'gramps'," he bellowed, the fact he had been called so only now sinking into his older, slower mind. "I may be old enough to be your grandfather, but I am your Superior also!"

"Right," smirked Jefferson, "so - booper de boo - I found myself at Ruger with this cute leopardess chick called Sally - at least, I think it was Sally, something' like that - and, well, what can I say? She was hot for me and I thought she was pretty so when she started hittin' on me I asked her out and we got a dinner-date this evening... round _her_ place if ya' catch my meaning..." Leopolde cleared his throat meaningfully. "But anyway, before that she took me round the back and shot me a look at a bunch'a old files, we found a match between this bullet and the gun it was shot form eventually and - _err, Leo?_ \- here's a photocopy of the paperwork."

As Jefferson reached out to the lion, Leopolde reached over towards him, holding a single page, formal, A4 document in his hand. Jefferson took the page and then passed that to the rabbit who, by this point, was running out of hands.

"This gun," the tiger said, "is a custom-made, heavily modified, updated and modernized version of the original Ruger SR1911, semi-automatic. Its stainless steel barrel and bushings have been replaced with a medium-weight, titanium alloy. Its caliber has actually been reduced - from point four five to just point four - and its magazine slot has been extended, increasing its capacity from eight puss one to twelve puss one. To counterbalance the weight of this larger magazine, the barrel has been extended an extra inch, giving it a barrel length of six inches and pushing the muzzle velocity up as well as increasing its effective-range too. And the extra weight of the longer barrel and magazine has already been compensated for by the titanium alloy, making it just the right weight so it's maneuverable without it getting too much recoil when shot."

He handed the A4 sheet over, winking to Judy as she took it.

"This is one mean gun," he said, "from what cutesy the leopardess told me, the Ruger SR was already a pretty perfect gun. But this thing's got twice the stopping power, and something like three times the lethality of the original. So, it's powerful, it's effective, it's expensive and it's incredibly rare. They called it, the 'Ruger SR, Master Edition."

Judy looked up from the page, blinking at the amount of information she was trying to take in. "Expensive?" was all she could think to say.

"To buy one of the original would cost you about seven, eight hundred. To have one made new would cost you at least a grand, but God only knows how much this baby cost. The scrap metal _alone_ would be more than I get in a month."

"You said this was custom made."

"That's right, yes."

"How many where made and who commissioned it?"

"Actually, just the one. So, you'd think it should be easy enough to find. Unfortunately, the files where inconclusive as to who actually had it built."

"Oh."

"Yeah... you see, for information on the actual gun ownership I had to see some other guy. He was a rabbit actually - like you - except he had these odd black stripes all over him. His name was Jock or Jake - or, something like - and when I asked him for the relevant information, he couldn't find it! There still looking, but unless they can find it, we've hit a dead end."

"Thank you, Officer Leopolde," said Bogo, "and thank you as well, _Jefferson_."

"Not a problem, sir."

The Officers of the Murder Investigation Bureau finished their report, and Judy smiled as she thought about their relationship while Bogo chatted to them about some of the finer points.

Leopolde the Lion and Jefferson the Tiger had a good partnership - Judy realized - for, while Jefferson (young and brash) provided the energy for the two of them (dashing around the city, getting into fights with criminals, following every lead like a hound) it was Leopolde who provided the intelligence (studying and studiously checking every fact, not chasing after every lead, but cross-referencing every possible lead with every fact and following only _one_ lead... but with the knowledge it was genuinely the right one.

But - moreover - Leopold's advanced years meant he was no longer _able_ to chase after every lead as Jefferson could (which was entirely necessary sometimes, and could get results when no amount of slow, studious pondering could), and Jefferson didn't quite have the patience or experience to work out every case in his head (so _had_ to rely on his brawn and his 'quick' whits instead). The weaknesses of one where the strengths of the other... and that was what made them such a good team, and this level of great teamwork, the proper 'by-the-book' style of Leopolde and the inability to respect the rules and regulations he was working to sustain by Jefferson, could _only_ remind Judy of Nick and herself.

 _And it was that revelation which made the tears return... oh,_ _ **Nick**_ _!_

Judy bit down on the well of emotion that followed, but it came all to late and - by the way Bogo and the two other officers started from their conversation to turn to Judy with a kind of intrigued concern on their faces - this was the first time they had seen a fellow ZPD officer break into tears.

Bogo recovered, pointing to the door and looking towards Leopolde and Jefferson. "Out." It was the only instruction he gave, yet it was followed instantly and silently by both... the door to his office opening, and then shutting softly behind them.

...

Bogo had dealt with many things in his time: he had single-handedly wrestled an elephant to the floor; he had been in gunfights numbering over twenty people aside; he had spent two months deep undercover in a high-operating organized-crime mob and he had once spent three hours held as a hostage by a mass murder who had kept the officers outside at bay by threatening to kill the Chief... Bogo left no worse for the encounter, while the murderer wound up in incentive care - followed eventually by - prison... and yet for all this he could never remember having to deal with _anything_ quite like 'this'...

 _Another sob escaped Judy's lips, and the rabbit wiped away yet another tear, staring dejectedly down at the floor in shame for letting her emotions affect her so._

...yes, he had dealt with the grieving mothers of murdered children - which was never nice - but at least then he _knew_ what the matter was... not like now.

Standing from his chair, Bogo walked passed the little dejected officer and towards the door. Checking up the length of the corridor outside, Bogo assured himself that it was clear. With a _click_ he locked the door using the built-in lock which only worked from the inside and lowered the blind.

In the privacy of his office - now completely detached from the rest of the building - Bogo turned. The massive mammal walked back to stand in fount of the smallest, bravest little officer of the ZPD - who appeared to be quite unaware of his presence - stood before her and lowered himself to the floor, speaking with a voice laden with concern from her diminutive height, cross-legged on the ground before her.

"Judy..."

That alone was enough to stop the tears, making the small rabbit look up from her observation of the floor by her feet, to realize with a start how the chief had lowered himself so. Being called Judy by Bogo was even rarer than being called so by Nick - Bogo _never_ spoke to an officer by their first name.

She looked slowly up to him. The rabbit was surprised yet further at seeing Bogo - chief Bogo - sat, hunched down, on the floor before her, his head near-enough level with hers and his voice softer and lower than ever she had heard it before.

"Is this...? This is about Nick, isn't it."

A nod. A sniff.

"What exactly... happened?"

Silence. No reaction.

Bogo looked off to the side apprehensively at his next words. "Has something happened - between Officer Wilde and yourself - something that's made the two of you fall out?"

Judy's reply was instant. "I..." but faulted after the first salable. Her face fell back to the floor as she teased her hands a pathetically before her. "Yes. I guess. Kinda."

Bogo chuckled. "Hopps, you and Wilde are always falling out; you'll be friends again by tomorrow, you'll see."

"It, it's not like that - this time. It's, I - I..." Raising her paw to her mouth, Judy bit down upon her finger as she held back the tears, triggered by the all-too-vivid memory of her slap across Nick's face. "I _hurt_ him. I hurt Nick and now I don't know how to make him better."

"Judy," Bogo said, honestly, "Nick Wilde is _incredibly_ fond of you. I think, with all certainty, that if you just go right now and see him, and apologize for whatever it is you you have done, if you treat him with respect and speak truly - that will be more than enough for him to forgive you."

Judy sniffed up another tear, but there was a smile on her face now. "Thanks, Bogo, but... it's not _all_ from me - the hurt, I mean. Nick's past, just from what little I know, is just riddled with horrible, horrible things."

"Well," he said, distantly, "I had figured as much - it explains why Wilde doesn't talk about his past much. Come to think of it, I've never even heard him mention so much as his own mother."

"Well," Judy said, a hint of pride at the trust the red fox had in her, "he has told me a little of his past. I hardly know anything, but what little I know is more than anyone else does. And I know that, even though all I have's a fuzzy outline, his hurt is born from the pain of Nick's past."

"Is this something you can help him with?"

"I - I _don't know._ That's why I'm in this state I'm in now. I can't help him if he doesn't open himself up to me, and opening himself up is what brought back all this pain in the first place, I..."

Bogo watched as the rabbit started breaking down further into tears - what little aid he had provided by making her smile quickly eroding beneath the trouble which had clearly passed between Wilde and herself.

"...I just feel like if I hadn't pushed him so hard - if I didn't stick my neck in where it didn't belong - that he'd still be - you know - _Nick_."

"Is there anything I can do?" Said Bogo after a long pause, at a complete loss for the first time since being made chief. "I can't help you _socially_ , but I am well connected among my own circles, and-"

"Sir, that's - that's really sweet of you, but, _Nick-_ "

"I know, Hopps. I know Wilde can be hard to reach, emotionally, but one think I do know for sure is, he needs you." Judy's eyes slowly rose to meet Bogo's, a questioning expression on her face.

"Officer Hopps, I am the chief of police, in Precinct One, working in the center of the largest city on the continent. I rose up the ranks much like I suspect yourself and Wilde will do, and I spent a _great_ many years as a detective - I am more than a little proficient at reading people - and I _know_ that _-you-_ have made more of an impact on Officer Wilde's life than anything else before. Remember that Hopps - if there's anyone who can motivated him, push him to go further, run faster, jump higher - it's you. And you can, help him get, through _this_ to."

"Thanks, chief," she smiled warmly, "but-"

"And remember... the two of you alone make _fair_ coppers, but I can't say either of you are the best officers I've ever had because - bluntly - you're not. But what I can say, and with _all_ truth, is that You and Wilde make the best damn _team_ I have ever seen."

Judy's smile was different now. It was full of resolve and hope, beaming with life and joy towards her chief. Bogo smiled too - the smile was _wrong_ somehow though Judy couldn't tell - as he spoke.

"Hopps, if you know where Nick is, go to him. Take as much time off as you need, just, please, find _Nick_."

"Thank you sir! I will, and thank you!" The room full with the brightness of her smile, the rabbit rushed for the door, leaving all pains and troubles behind her as she turned at flicked the lock off, opened the door and turned with a smile to Bogo.

"Thank you, Bogo, for being so understanding. There aren't many bosses who would let a worker leave work just to find there friend."

Bogo looked at Judy, his somehow ' _wrong'_ smile still on his face as she shut the door behind her and rushed off down the corridor.

...

Bogo stood motionless for some time. The ' _false'_ smile Bogo had been wearing fell. He grunted and stood to his full height, a stern expression on his face as he crossed the room to the large window, hands behind his back, gazing out at the city beneath him.

He stood there for some time, looking down at the city with his brow furrowed in thought, his lips raised in a slight grimace. His voice was low and troubled, unsure, lacking all warmth as he spoke to the empty room without turning. "You can come out now, Jack." Behind him, the door to the cupboard opened. Bogo spoke again as he heard the figure approach. "You hear all that?"

"Yes, sir."

The male's reply was soft, smooth, untroubled and unhurried. Which was more than could be said for Bogo's voice which was edged with concern as he asked, "did you believe her?"

"It's... her to tell, sir. The emotion was genuine, if that's what you're asking, but it could be she doesn't know herself."

Bogo released a long, low grumble. "Could well be. That fox is a tricky one."

"...did _you_ believe her, sir?"

Bogo glanced to the side, though did not turn. "I... _want_ to, but we can't know how much of an influence that fox has over her."

"The two are incredibly close," he said matter-of-factly, "his emotional control over her must be astounding."

"No," Bogo muttered to himself, "no, this is all wrong. You're making Wilde sound like some kind of manipulative psychopath."

"We can't know for certain that he isn't, sir." The smaller mammal joined Bogo by the window, gazing down at the streets below in a similar fashion with his hands shoved into his black trouser pockets. "You're _not_ telling her about Scarlett?" He said, carefully.

"No. If things are as I hope and Wilde is innocent, it's better Hopps didn't know a thing."

"But if Wilde isn't innocent," the smaller mammal said, "shouldn't we make sure Hopps has her guard up? Surely we should have her keep an eye on him for any signs of sudden aggregation or mood swings or the likes."

Bogo's head shot around, shouting his response down at the smaller mammal. "I will not plant the steads of mistrust in, quite truthfully, the _finest_ team I have ever seen, in or out of the ZPD. We do _**not**_ know of Nick's standing in these murders, and I will _**not**_ risk affecting their relationship when Wilde _may_ only be an innocent victim in all of this."

" _May,_ sir. Only may."

Bogo stared down at the smaller mammal who was still starring up at him with a face which hadn't so much as flinched at the outburst. Bogo turned back to the window, stress written across his face as he raised a hoof and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I still say this is all wrong," Bogo muttered, "none of this feels right. I don't see Nick as a murder and I _despise_ the fact I have to count him as a suspect."

"Which is why you called for me, _sir_ ," he sighed airily. You asked for me _because_ this is a delicate matter. If this was easy to prove or disprove, if it didn't have massive implications not only to the ZPD and Officer Hopps, but to the reputation of all foxes in Zootopia, and if this didn't concern one of your most promising officers, two murders _and_ a vast shipment of illegal substance entering this city, then you would have put one of your simple-minded lackeys on the case, and not - _me_."

Bogo lowed his hand slightly, grimacing down at the smaller mammal. "Are you calling my officers simple-minded?"

The smaller mammal realized his mistake (everyone made them _sometimes_ ), it was never a good idea to insult the capabilities of Bogo's own men in fount of him. "I-" was all he could manage before,

"My officers are _not_ simple minded! Just because you infiltrated Ruger before Officer Jefferson did, broke into their paperwork, impersonated one of their workers and withheld the fact that _two_ such weapons were made and that Nichols Wilde is the _**owner**_ of one of them... that does _not_ make you a more intelligent individual!"

The gray and black-striped rabbit starred blankly up at him, his arms folded against his chest. " _You_ were the one who wanted that kept quiet, _sir,_ " he replied, only a hint of respect left in his voice. "You were the one who suggested tricking Judy into finding Wilde while I followed and kept an eye on both of them."

"Yes, okay!" He grunted heavily, turning away from the rabbit and pressing a hoof against his head in an attempt to sooth the building stress-headache. "Look, Jack, I'm sorry. You're right. I am in need of your help and I shouldn't chastise you like that, it's just this _-this-_ is getting on my damn nerves." Bogo took in a sharp breath of air and became 'Chief' Bogo once again, turning on his heals to face the rabbit beside him. "Agent Savage?"

"Yes, Chief?"

"You know your target; follow her."

A lazy smirk grew on the stripped rabbits face. "Sir, it would be my _pleasure._ "

Jack Savage turned, walking back to the door which Judy had unlocked. He had a car waiting in the drive with the key in the ignition - ready and waiting to follow Judy as she drove away. He opened the door and was about to step out when Bogo's voice stopped him.

"And Savage... good luck."

The rabbit froze, his voice slow and colluding as he spoke without turning. _"Luck_ , is the enemy of chance. _Chance_ , is the enemy of fate and _Fate_ , is the enemy of destiny. And I rely, sir, on none of these things - they are all of them far too irregular for a mammal of my profession. I rely on something, far more dependable. I rely on one thing only..."

"...and what's that," said Bogo after a moments pause.

Agent Savage turned, his mouth parted in a wry, self-assured smile. "Myself, sir." He threw a casual salute to the Chief as he backed out of the room, winking to the smirking buffalo as the door swung shut behind him, turning, and half striding, half swaggering down the corridor towards his waiting car.


	18. A Broken Fox

The rain had abated. The clouds, however, still encased the world in gloom and Nick Wilde, lying upon his unmade bed, gazing blankly up at the ceasing, remained motionless, thoughtless... soulless - even as the rabbit, with a heart full of love, traveled pell-mell to meet him.

Nick was sick of it - just sick or it. Sick of the constant bland dullness which hung about the cold gray room, sick of the sinking feeling in his chest and the cold chill of his heart, sick of continual lack of energy or motivation he recognized as depression, sick of the memories rolling through his head, sick of his past, his mistakes and himself... and, as to his life? He was sick of it.

Motivation came out of no ware. Nick sat up, a grim light in his eyes. He swung his legs off the end of the bed and stood. He reached under his bed, pulled a couple of cardboard boxes out of the way and reached further under it. He came back out, holding a sturdy metal tin in both paws. With care, he stood, keeping his eyes fixed on the metal tin, holding it firmly but attentively in both paws as he walked steadily to his desk. He put the metal tin down, entered a combination into the lock and steadied himself at the _click_ of the latch undoing.

Nick took in a breath, then let it out slowly. He raised the lid, twitched aside the protective cloth covering it and gazed down at the shining, metal handgun within. The handgun he had not seen for over three years. The handgun he had not seen... since Scarlett died.

A moment of grief for something other than himself washing over him, Nick's expression filled with remorse as he tenderly rubbed the pad of his paw across an inscription embossed just above the ident' number. His remorseful expression becoming firmer, Nick reached out a hand and picked up the metal device which shone like with a dull grey light, metal, with a wood decal upon the handle.

This was his key to ridding himself of his bad mood. He checked the barrel - empty - and then removed the divider from the tin. The upper third of the tin contained the gun and the lower two thirds contained a number of magazines for the gun, a thin cover dividing them.

Through the thick black clouds, a beam of sunlight forced its way down, in through the bedroom window behind Nick's bed, and onto the metallic purple foil of a rapped parcel on Nick's desk. Reaching out to the gun, his hand stopped. Nick's face turned as a change befell the room which was suddenly filled with a vibrant amber color. The color reminded Nick only of Judy and it made his mood brightened at the thought of her - even while it impassioned the bitterness of his spirit also.

Nick gazed at it for a time - it was a pity Judy would never get to see it - at the present he had bought for Judy some days ago, wrapped in the metallic purple foil which resembled her eyes and which he had chosen for just that reason.

His mind clicked, and Nick remembered Judy's present to him was still in his back pocket. He gazed at the gun still in his hands. His curiosity overpowering his desire to end the pain his life was filled with, Nick decided he _owed_ it to Judy to at least have a look and reached into his back pocket, letting the gun down upon the desk.

The fox smiled at the small packet (three inches across, two inches wide and quite thin) then stilted the packet open with the claw of his thumb, letting the leather wallet slip out and into the pads of his hand. He smiled fondly at the gift. It was clearly an expensive wallet, made from real leather which was soft to the touch yet firm enough to hold its shape. He opened it, admiring the various pockets and compartments for change, ID cards and notes - it was very well made, Nick considered, and could last him a lifetime if he looked after it which - of course - he would... even _if_ he never saw the rabbit again.

What really struck Nick, though, was the ID photo. It was a simple photo of a very attractive rabbit, smiling towards shot, her ears high, her eyes wide - in casual cloths and in among a lush, green surrounding. She wasn't pouting, she wasn't trying to look cheeky or seductive - it was just her normal, beautiful smile, and it set Nick's heart aglow.

"Thanks for the gift, Hopps," Nick said, quietly, to the photo. Whatever happened in his future - not matter how bad things got - Nick told himself in that moment he must _never_ let himself throw that photo away - no matter how dark his mood was at the time.

Then, Nick checked around the rest of the wallet. He looked in each of the card slots and the compartment for loose change. He opened the compartment for notes and found...

"Judy, you sly, sly rabbit."

...it was her half of the money for their meal back at Joe's Place. The money he had refused multiple times, the money she had tried to sneak into his pocket twice, and the money she had sworn to pay him back for. _  
_  
Nick looked to the photo of Judy, her smile full of joy towards him. A smile which filled his heart with a golden glow which lifted it high above the seance of guilt and hurt, a smile which lightened his spirits, making them dance through his soul, a smile which almost made him forget about the way he had stormed out, leaving Judy alone when she needed him most - _no, when_ _ **he**_ _needed_ _ **her**_ _most_ \- to leave the best thing that had ever happened to his life behind him for a future unknown...

 _A single tear fell from the edge of Nick's eye. It trickled down his muzzle and dangled off the end of his nose. It fell, and landed with a damp drip on the beaming photo of Judy_.

...and then the sun returned behind the clouds, the heaviness of his heart returned, his spirits turned to lead, the truth of what had passed came back and the vibrant amber faded from the room just as all light faded from Nick's life - leaving only the cold gray of the room, the empty husk of a broken fox, and the harsh silver of the gun which glinted at him over the table.

Nick was sick of it - sick of everything. He wanted to put an end to all of the fowl feelings driving him mad, and knew only one surefire way of making that happen.

Nick slowly put down the wallet and picked up the gun. He approached the window, raised it, and stepped out into the air.

Judy pulled up to a stop on the street just outside Nick's apartment. Despite what had passed between them Judy's spirits were high - she knew exactly how she felt about the fox, and it was about damn time she showed him just how much she cared - not just subtle hints, not alluding to he feelings or trying to lead Nick into admiring it himself - and not just shy kisses and whispered 'I love you's either - real, passionate emotion.

She got out of the car and was about to shut the door when something, she didn't know what, made her stop. This same something made Judy look up and she gasped as she saw the red figure of a fox climbing the exterior fire-exit (bolted to the side of Nick's apartment) towards the roof. And she didn't miss the gun.

For all the reasons Nick could have been going to the roof with a gun in his hand, only one appeared to fit in the rabbits mind. And it _screamed_ for her to push her body to its very limits to get there before Nick did the unthinkable and went too far... a _scream_ which her body and mind both followed instantly.

She called to him, frantic, as she rushed out of the ZPD cruiser (with the engine still running and the doors open) but her shout came a moment too late as the red fox disappeared onto the flat roof of the very tall building. She all but kicked in the door to the block of flats he lived in and hurriedly made her way to his apartment by the quickest means she knew possible.

More than a hundred stories above her, a red fox was pacing around the roof. He set down his ammunition magazines on the parapet of the building - gazing down from the great height at the tiny cars which moved about the streets like dots - as he started to load his gun with a hand, so proficient, he didn't even have to check what he was doing, able to change clips swiftly by touch alone.

Dashing down the corridor towards Nick's room, she kicked the locked but thin plywood door open with one powerful kick without slowing down. She glanced the empty room, the thin curtains which blew up from the breeze the open window let in, and she was instantly filled with a seance of foreboding as she lept out and onto the exterior fire-exit, climbing the steps rapidly.

 _Less then six stories above her, Nick took a long breath and let it out, slowly. Nick flicked off the safety with the claw of his thumb, taking aim, keeping his breaths controlled and his hand steady, as he raised the reassuringly-heavy weapon upwards._

Judy bolted up the flight of stairs, rounded a corner, and sprinted up the next set. She continued this process at a furious rate, her heart thumping in her mouth, her veins running hot with fear as she reached the roof. She threw herself from the staircase and onto the flat-roof, dashing around the side of a ventilation shaft and Nick came into view - gun in hand and raised. Nick, not spotting Judy until after it was too late, pulled the trigger.

 _"Niiiiiiick!"_

 _ ***BANG***_


	19. The Rabbit and The Fox

Death. In Tarot reading, the Death card represents an ending. All things come to an end, but, keep in mind, this is not just referring to life. The worst part of Death is the struggle of acceptance. Yet Death, like Birth, is completely natural. In this day and age we attach to a potential level of immortality; we like to think that we never leave this space and time (we don't like to think that all the time and money we've invested into our lives has gone to waist) but the Death card reminds us that it is time for you to confront your fear of the end of the chapter. Death is a journey; the only constant is change. This is undeniably true. You must not fight Death, only practice acceptance.

If the Death card is prominent in your reading, you will find that there is a large amount of change coming your way and you should not fight or resist it. Death is transition - you have a higher power guiding your way that knows more than you do in this moment - and that is a fact that must be accepted for the road before you to clear. Think of it as the Death of the phoenix. There are aspects to your life that are ending or changing dramatically, and these changes may even be exceptionally hard to deal with. Like the phoenix, these transitions in your life are leading to a glorious rebirth or something new and better. Often, we like to hold on to aspects of our life even after they serve no more purpose for, as they say, it is better to face the known evil than the unknown evil... but now is the time to let go of that which is not aiding you or bettering your life in some way.

 _Allow these things to fall away from your life._ _ **Let go of your past.**_ _Make room for all the new, fantastic prospects in life and allow these thigns to bring you..._

 _~ Joy ~_

* * *

 _"Niiiiiiick!"_  
 **  
*** _ **BANG***_

Judy threw herself to the floor. The bullet whizzed over her head. Nick's mouth dropped. "Err, Judy? Are you-"

"What the hell Nick? What the hell?! You almost shot me!"

"Sorry Hopps, I-"

"What the fluff are you doing anyway? Are you trying to kill me?"

"No! Hopps, it's a shooting gallery."

Stunned beyond anger, Judy took in her surroundings. The roof of Nick's apartment was a wide, long, square platform with a parapet about two feet high on all sides. On three of the four sides, the roof overlooked the city which was lit in a dull grey light from the clouds which where still in the process of parting - though the rain had abated and the wind had died down.

The forth side, however, was connected to a much higher block of flats. This wall - which Judy had stepped in front of as she rounded the ventilation shaft - had, nailed to it, a kind of shelving system. These selves were populated with a number of beer cans, bottles and flour pots... a number of which were smashed.

Stood in the center of the roof was Nick. When Judy had first seen Nick, he had been stood with his gun out before him at arms length, aiming down the sights, towards the wall she lept in front of. As Judy lept and saw the gun, she called out, believing she was about to be on the receiving end of a small but very fast piece of metal. She threw herself to the floor as the bullet whizzed past, and a flour pot less than a foot away from were her head would have been smashed into pieces.

 _Looking back on the moment later, Judy was amused by the surprise and worry on Nick's face as he started towards her. At that moment, however, she was too startled to even notice._

"Hopps," Nick said, softly. Having crossed the roof, the remorseful red fox stood before the rabbit still on the floor and lent towards her, offering his paw - palm up - towards her. "Hopps, I'm sorry."

" _Oh,_ don't be," replied Judy, calmer, taking his paw and standing. "It was just an accident, could've happened to anyone."

"No, you misunderstand, Judy. _I - I'm sorry_. I am so sorry for walking out on you Judy, I, I... I'm a coward, Hopps, I always have been. I run away from everything that hurts when I should be pushing through it like you said I should and I knew I should." The fox started to tremble slightly, "Judy, when I was walking away form you back in that apartment, I knew - _knew_ \- I was just running away from the best thing that ever came into my life, but," he continued, hot tears stinging his eyes, "b-but I just carried on walking and walking - I crossed half the city and didn't even realize - until I was back here, alone, with nothing but myself and my memories. I-" the fox raised a paw to wipe away a tear as it crossed the length of his cheek, the rabbit watching in stunned fascination. "I, I -" Nick took in a long breath, then a painful gulp. "But, you came back. You came back to me, Judy, even after I deserted you."

Judy stood motionless for a second as Nick's powerful green gaze penetrated her soul with emotion. She opened her mouth but no sound came out, and so, she hugged him instead. Stepping forwards, Judy's eyes fell tightly shut as she put her arms around Nick's waist - holding him so tight he couldn't have got away from her even if he wanted... he didn't.

No, Nick didn't want to get away from her and, the moment she had stepped forwards, he had threw his arms around the rabbit, grasping her with as much urgency as though he needed her like oxygen itself, his eyes falling closed also as he breathed lungfuls of her sweet, reassuring scent, his warm tears wetting the top of Judy's head.

"Why? Why did you come back? For me, of all mammals."

"I already told you, Nick," Judy sighed, "because you're my partner. There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Nickey, and I hope, some day, you'll come to realize that truly."

"Oh, _God_ ," Nick huffed, surprising Judy as he was still sobbing just a little, "I - I don't _deserve_ you, Judy. Never in a million years do I deserve you."

Judy opened her eyes slightly, her cheek pressing against Nick's warm chest in the coldness of the roof air. She wiped a tear of happiness against Nick with a smile, her gaze falling towards Nick's had... not missing the fact the gun Nick held in his hand was a Ruger SR1911. Her brow furrowing (but knowing to play it safe and say nothing at this time) as she gazed at the gun with a six inch barrel. A thought crossed her mind. _What if Nick is the murder?_ ... this thought lasted for substantially less than a second and then the rabbit cursed herself for being so untrusting and cast that thought to the wind, deciding questions could wait for later as she pressed her head back into the reassuring warmth of his chest, her eyes falling closed a second time.

"You seriously think you don't deserve me, Nick? Why?"

"Because your're perfect. And you're wonderful and intelligent and beautiful and kind and thoughtful and driven and brave and-" Judy reached up and placed her paw gently over Nick's mouth.

"Well so are you, Sweetheart," she replied softly, turning her head to gaze up at him, her paw slipping from his mouth to cores his warm red cheek. "You're wonderful. You're intelligent and thoughtful. You're driven and brave, and so _very_ beautiful." She reached her other paw up to Nick's handsome face - a stretch though it was - as she held his head in her tender paws. And then, as slow as the changing of the seasons, Judy started to draw Nick's head down towards hers. Nick's eyes were full of surprise and anticipation as they drew level with Judy's.

Judy pressed her lips against the foxes deep purple nose in a gesture enjoyed by both the fox and the rabbit. Judy gave Nick a second, quicker kiss on the nose and then edged her mouth forwards, down his muzzle slightly, for a third kiss - a kiss - which would have been on the lips if Nick hadn't interrupted her by apologizing again.

"I'm sorry."

Judy drew back from the kiss she was about to place on the foxes lips, her voice as sweet as her smile. "No. It's _me_ who should be sorry. If I hadn't kept pushing you-"

"No," he snapped. The air around Judy's body suddenly turned cold as the fox stepped away, his voice sharp as Judy's head turned to face him.

"Nick?"

"No, you have _nothing_ to apologize for." With that he raised a single claw and pointed it at himself. "I do," he said - his voice hot with accusation - then turned his claw to point at her - his voice far softer, pained almost. "You don't." He lowered his paw. It dropped loosely to his side. "I left you when I needed you the most. You opened yourself up, left yourself emotionally defenseless, threw yourself upon me emotionally - than psychically - to try get to me and to get me to stay. You risked everything we had - _our friendship_ \- for **my** benefit and I left you without so much as a word of goodbye in return. I, do not, deserve, you." Nick stood silent for a moment, then continued. "You said, on the drive over, not to expect any offers of help in the future, because I wouldn't get it."

"Ooh - _come on_ Nick - I was in a mood! I didn't really mean-"

"But," he interrupted... "that doesn't mean I can't _'ask'_ for help." The rabbit fell silent, staring at the red fox as he slowly lowered himself to the ground. "I'm asking for your help now, Judy. I'm begging for it." It's true, he was. On his knees in front of the rabbit, Nick lent forwards until his head was below Judy's own eye line. Looking _down_ at the fox for the first time in living memory, Judy didn't know what to think as his paws reached out and took hers in his, clutching them before him as he, almost begged, for her help.

"I've been running from this for the past three years of my life. But if I keep running now, I'll loose you, too. I don't want to loos you - I _couldn't bare_ to loose you. I have to fight it - there's no other way - but I can't do it alone... will you help me?"

"Of course I'll help you," Judy breathed in reply the moment she regained the ability to speak. "I'm here, Nick. Whatever you need, I'll help you."

"Then hear me. Liston to my past. Let me tell you everything, _help me with my burden_ \- I can't..." On the edge of tears, the fox fell lower to the ground. "...I can't bare it on my own anymore."

Judy stared for several seconds, lost for what to do. Then, putting her arms around the foxes neck, she lifted his head until his wet, green eyes met hers - both rabbit and fox on the very edge of tears.

"Then tell me. Tell me all you can bare to tell and let me do everything I can to help."

Nick breathed, a smile, for an instant, crossing his muzzle - revealed for her help - but fearful of what he now had to say.

Slowly, eventually, Nick stood. Judy stepped back from the fox, making sure to appear calmly attentive while all she wanted to do was hug the fox, kiss him, and tell him he didn't have to do a thing - which, while it was what they both would have preferred - would not have helped either in the long run.

Nick had asked for her help. That was something Judy could never refuse.

Nick looked away, out towards the edge of the city, and then walked over to the edge of the roof. Judy followed behind.

The fox climbed up onto the low parapet of the building and Judy's heart lept into her mouth as the image of Nick jumping off took her mind, but her fear settled as he mealy sat down on the edge - his feet dangling over the hundred story drop. Taking in several long breaths, Nick, slowly, started to push his mind back through the years, forcing control over his emotions in the way he had learnt to over his long and unhappy life.

Judy's ears quivered as she joined him on the parapet, not touching him, but close enough to offer her support.

"It all started," he began slowly, "a very long time ago. You thought the Ranger Scouts was an old story? Well, I wasn't even born when this stuff started." Nick paused, considering how best to go about this, and then continued. "My Dad was always an abusive bastard to my Mom. I mean, she was strong - almost as strong as you - there wasn't anyone in Zootopia she couldn't stand up to... but Dad screwed with her, mentally. I was too young to see it at the time, but looking back - God it makes me sick."

Nick leaned forwards, his elbows resting on his lap, gazing down the many miles he could fall before reaching the ground. Judy couldn't handle the fact Nick could jump - or fall - off at any second and so she shifted closer too him and locked her arms around his chest - knowing she was putting herself at risk if Nick jumped - but also certain that he would _never_ jump if it risked Judy's death also.

"In public," he continued, leaning into Judy just a little, "he would find fault with everything she did, shouting at her for her mistakes and then storm away whenever she tried to apologize. Alone, he would hold her to his chest, stroking her head and telling her how wonderful he thought she was. Some days he'd stand by her side, hold her, love her. Other days he'd leave her deserted, piling blame and guilt on her, 'till she broke down in tears on the floor - he didn't even need to bee there, a text from him was enough to give her a breakdown." Nick's voice started to rise with anger. "He'd walk into the room telling her he loved her more than life itself, and then storm out of the room thirty seconds later saying he wished she was dead. His mood towards her changed at the tip of a hat. And it _wasn't_ because he had some kind of personality disorder - he knew _exactly_ what he was doing - and every time he beat her, it only made her love him more when he hugged her again."

Nick fell silent for some seconds. The red anger which had raided the volume in his words to almost a shout, fading.

"She didn't have a chance. She was brainwashed, literally, and that-" Nick growled, then spat of the edge of the building, spiting at the memory of the man he once mockingly called 'farther'.

"But this one night," Nick continued, his voice strained, "this one night he was so drunk he could hardly tell the sealing to the floor. Well the stupid bastard got it into his pissed head to go out to the lake. Mom - she tried to stop him, terrified he'd wind up dead in the lake or something - she tried to stop him, so, he hit her." Nick's body started to convulse slightly, rocking with the suppressed tears.

"He hit her and he hit her and there was blood and she was on the floor, he broke her nose and cracked a rib and I was only five but I ran at him and hit him, trying to stop him hurting Mom, and then he hit me and..."

A dull whine escaped Nick as his head dropped into his lap. He remained motionless for a time, but when he looked up again his voice was steadier, firmer and not so laden with pain.

"Next thing I knew, it was three mounts later. I was in incentive care, just out of a coma from a severe concussion. My Mom was there, all better, and my Dad was serving nine years jail time."

A smile crossed his muzzle then - a grin - as he carried on speaking with a voice which was warmer.

"Thoes years - when it was just Mom and me - were probably the best years of my life. _No offence to you, Carrots_."

"None taken," she breathed, glad to see Nick could still joke - even a little.

"And, apart from a little incident with the Scouts which you already know about, life was pretty good. We weren't 'wealthy' and things were a little stretched at times, but we pulled through okay. I went from being bottom of my class to the top because of the support Mom gave me in revising and, best of all, my Mom seamed to recover and turned back into a good vixen again - not the brainwashed, soulless fox my _dad_ left her as."

He breathed happily for a moment - sucking in the 'good' memories while they lasted - knowing them to be short lived.

"Life was pretty good for a while. No crime, not cons, no abusive dad... no drugs. But then, a few mounts after my fortieth birthday, when my ' _dad_ ' was let out of jail... it's a day I'll never forget. I remember there was a knock at the door and Mom opened it, and there was dad with flours and chocolates and a clean face and a new suit. He embraced Mom and begged her to take him back. She did. She had _sworn_ to me he would never talk to that creep again, but the moment he walked in through that door like the bastard owned the place, swearing he was a new mammal and that his nine years in jail had shown him how important Mom was - she fell right back into his arms." Nick grunted heavily, his head lowering.

"But it was the same old shit in the end," he muttered, "I love you, I hate you, come here I miss you, go away I'm tired of you. I'll hug you, I'll smack you. I'll kiss you, I'll..." Nick turned further away, his voice lower still, "...I'll beat you." Nick's gaze fell, biting down on his bottom lip until he tasted blood. He did this until the physical pin of a cut lip equaled the pain in his heart (or masked it, at least) and then continued.

"His time in prison didn't make him any better - if anything it made him worse. Rather than just being the abusive bastard of before, in jail, he got _'connected'._ Even after all that time, he still had total power over Mom. She was still a brainwashed slave to him and still couldn't see him for what he was. I tried to tell her, help her, stop her - God as my whitens I tried - but, it was no good. It was like I wasn't there."

The red fox - the greatest friend Judy had - fell silent into deep brooding for a long time. So long, that Judy thought it must have been the end of it and she opened her mouth to speak, only to be cut off with:

"I thought for a long time about running away form home. But Mom needed me so I stayed - I hated to think of the control dad would have had over Mom if I wasn't there. And dad - if I can call him that - was always to nervous to so much as touch me, knowing that _I_ was the only thing that could make Mom see him as he was again."

"Everything was back to how it used to be. My grads fell. I felt sick and lonely every day. I couldn't speak to my Mom, didn't _want_ to speak with my dad and didn't dare leave Mom alone for longer than necessary because I was afraid he'd start beating her again."

A moment of silence fell, and then, Nick chuckled, dryly.

"But, in the end, my dad's corruption was his own undoing. Now, you've heard this bit from Finnick, but I was out partying one night, came back late, and he was just dead on the floor. I knew it was a drug overdose for two reasons. One, a number of the 'friends' he had made in prison were heavily connected with the drugs-triad, and two, he was still foaming from the mouth, white powder all across his muzzle. I woke Mom up like it was Christmas. She reacted like it was doomsday. The police came, an ambulance, and declared it death by drug-overdose and not a murder. Mom was in tears for weeks. She couldn't walk, couldn't eat, couldn't do sod all. It was no surprise when she had a breakdown. They took her to a mental hospital and pumped ' _corrective_ ' drugs into her until she didn't know who she was or what she was doing. And - and then..."

Nick broke into tears. Anger and heartbreak welling up in his soul. It overpowered his ability to speak for a moment but then he forced the emotion down, speaking on through the tears, his voice hot with overwhelming emotion.

"By - by the time I was eighteen, Mom was in intensive care. The doctors tried and tried, but she wasn't responding to anything or anyone. She wasn't eating, speaking, moving~. She died before my twentieth birthday - _fun_ birthday that was - still a teenager, and already I'd gone through enough shit to last me a lifetime. That was just the start. After that I ran to Tundertown - I guy can get himself lost there, easy - and it's there I got connected with people of - well, shall we say - the more 'unselective' social class of people."

"Mister Big, you mean?"

"No," Nick chuckled. "I wish it was, but no. Big wasn't in power then. A different mob ran Tundertown in those days. You're probably too young to remember the Kray Twins - believe me, you're lucky - but, fortunately for everyone, "The Firm", ran by the nefarious Ronnie and Reggie Kray brothers, has long-since been dismantled. But, back in the day, the Kray Twins piratically _owned_ Tundertown. And I mean, literally, _owned_ it - they didn't just rule the crime in that area like Mister Big - they had every officer serving there bribed and scared into turning to turn a blind eye to anything they saw, including murder, without so much as a second glance."

"What happened to them?"

"Cheif Bogo happened. When Bogo was put in charge the first thing he did was replace every officer working in Tundertown with new 'untainted' officers. He combed that part of the city, ratting out every last member of The Firm until there was just the Krey Twins left - who remain apparently killed themselves shortly before the last of their power was taken from them."

"Wow, I never knew that about Bogo(!)"

"Well, the 'governance' like him to keep it quirt - it's a stain on Zootopia's otherwise 'spotless' record - and just gave him a raise and a pat on the back, when any _decent_ government would give him a medal and declare him a hero of the people - but anyway - lets just say I had to do some pretty bad stuff to survive. I've never killed," he added with a tone of assurance which Judy believe whole heartily, "but I worked very closely with people who did."

"How come Bogo never found you out?" Judy asked.

"Cause I'm a fox, Hopps. I don't care how many times you've heard a fox complaining that its speciesist to call them 'shifty' or 'sly', it's damn true - just like its damn true you're the cutest officer in the ZPD."

"Well," she said lightly, glad for the opportunity to raise Nick's spirits with some playful banter, "I wouldn't say I'm _thee_ cutest." She caressed a paw across his forearm.

"Me? Oh, come on Hopps, _handsome_ yes, but not cute."

"No, just cute."

"I am not the cute one, Hopps, you are."

Silence fell again. They both knew that was the end of the banter and were sad to see it go, knowing that they must now, again, face the darker and more imminent threat to the red foxes life - his past.

"I _really_ don't want to go into detail with what I had to do, but I ended up in a pretty bad way. I was a lackey to any order the Krey Twins gave me - I even went to dinner with them once, I was surprised to get out of that place alive - but, worst of all, I ended up on the drugs. In fact, the only good thing that came of my time with The Firm was meeting Scarlett."

Nick trailed of, his expression almost dreamy as he thought back to her. Judy realized after a while Nick had forgotten about what was going on around him, and so, though it pained her to take him back from what was obliviously such a nice memory, she brought him back.

"And who was Scarlett?"

"Hmm? Oh! Er, a red fox. Very beautiful and very cleaver. She was a dangerous piece of work - but, you know, sexy dangerous. For all the heartache I'd lived through by that point - and she'd been through some tough times too, that's what brought us together. She was on the drugs too, and working for the Krey Twins just as I was. But with her, somehow, everything just became more bearable. Life with her was always on-the-edge. A few years went by like this, and we wanted to move in together and we wanted to get away from the Krey Twins too.

Slowly, then, Nick's words started to shake. His voice shook more and more until he could hardly speak. This, truly, was the freshest pain and still hurt more badly than all the pains of before.

"Scarlett, on one job, managed to steal the income of an entire shipment of drugs and used the money to buy us a beautiful little house in the North of Tundertown. The Krey Twins didn't like that though, and they - they... _ah fuck, God I'm sorry Judy, I didn't want to tell you this_. I - I got back one day, back to our house with flours and the door was broken open. The windows were all smashed in, the furniture was all destroyed and there was - there was... just blood! There was blood everywhere. The Twins had found out about Scarlett's theft and had _killed_ her for it and, I went to the police, and - an... _**and they thought it was me!"**_

Nick screamed, his voice harsh. He stood rapidly and rushed towards the wall, leveling his gun and emptying shot after shot into hit. Even as tears blurred the vision of his eyes he shot. Even his fury and his heartache weighed his head down with lead. Even as his gasped breaths came in sobs form his mouth, bullet after bullet cracked out of his gun. Nick hardly spared half a second to aim each shot - and yet - every single ill-aimed bullet met its mark.

Nick shot and shot until all twelve bullets were shot. Then he just stood there, the empty gun clicking as the fox continued to pull the trigger.

 _click, click, click, click,_

Judy stood and walked slowly towards him. "Nick?"

 _click, click, click,_

She stood behind him and touched his back. "Nick."

 _click, click,_

Judy moved and stood in front of the fox - the gun level with her head. Empty though the barrel was, Nick still couldn't bring himself to pull the trigger and lowered the gun, breathing deeply. The clicking of Nick's gun stopped.

"They thought it was me," Nick breathed, his gaze hard on the wall. "They thought, it, was _me_ \- an act of passion or revenge or something - and questioned me to hell, waning to know if I was seeing someone else, if she was. They went through every possible reason I could ever have for... for _killing_ her, but it wasn't enough. They knew about our addiction to drugs, and suspected our connection to the Kray's, but couldn't prove anything, and Scarlett's body was never found, the kept asking me what I did with it."

Gently, Judy took the gun from Nick's paws. Taking his arm, she lead him back to the parapet and he continued talking as he sat, Judy beside him.

"Eventually, they had to let me go through lack of evidence. But the Chief of police at the time swore I was the culprit and kept cops on my tail at every step. But then, Bogo came onto the scene, the old chief retired and the Krey Twins lost all their power and their influence. I took the compensation money form the cops and got myself a flat here. I did everything I could to forget my past and, eventually, the pain dulled enough for me to get back on with daily life. I started doing low-level conning, somehow managed to convince myself I was happy, met you, tried to crush your dreams, got hustled... and the rest you know."

His emotions numbed like they had been for years, Nick sat, in silence, upon the parapet of the building, gazing down the thousand foot plus drop to the ground with Judy silent beside him. Some time past and still Judy made no reply, so he glanced to her, his eyebrow quirked. Nick thought he had been sad, but Judy, was distort. Fear quickly grew on Nick's face at seeing Judy - with tears streaking down her face in a steady stream, her silent sobs kept quirt only by the finger which she bit down hard on. Her whole body shook as the sobs continued and Nick pulled her closer, soothing her, pushing his own sadness aside while he focused his attention fully on Judy.

"Hey, _hey_ , come on Hopps. Come on, it's okay. Shh, shh, _shhhh._ "

" _Nick... I -"_

"I know, Judy. But please, don't cry. I _need_ you strong."

" _But, just, everything! Everything in you're life is just..."_

"Shhhh, shh, _sh._ Honestly, Jules, I'm just glad I have you after fluffing up another time. I was scared, worried, **terrified** that I'd messed up so bad you were gone forever!"

" _Huh,_ " Judy's voice cracked, " _You_ were worried? I was the one who was worried, Nick. When I saw you climbing those steps to the roof~"

"Suicide ain't my style, Hopps. You don't have to worry about a thing."

"Silence fell between the pare a second time - a more natural, safer silence however. The vast black clouds which hung over the city were high and vast but, on the very edge, there was a slither of blue where the clouds and the ground did not quite meet. It was for this Reasoner that, as the sun set in those last few minutes before sunset - that the golden light appeared in the world, lighting up the previously grey landscape with pure, golden light.

"I opened your present, by the way," said Nick as he stared at the now glorious sight. "I love it."

"And I opened your past," she quipped.

For a third time silence fell. This silence, however, was just normal silence - reassuringly simple - without deeper meaning or darker implications. Both mammals lept upon this opportunity for some mundane normality. With time, Judy reached across to Nick and took his paw in her's. It took Nick a moment to realize Judy had done so - lost in thought somewhere - but, when he did, he stared down at the hand holding his.

"...that's the paw you slapped me with, isn't it."

Judy froze... "yeah - it is." She sighed heavily, then leaned into Nick's side, her voice deeply pained. "I - I am _so_ sorry Nick. I can never apologize enough for doing that. You never deserved it. I hate myself for it, you know. I'd rather take a bullet for you then think I hurt you."

Nick couldn't listen to Judy's pained voice a moment longer. Pulling his paw away, he turned himself as he sat. Reaching out to the startled rabbit and wrapping both his arms around Judy's small frame he pulled her into his lap - a gesture, which Judy accepted more than readily as she put her arms around Nick's - returning his tender hug with equal warmth - and buried her head into his side, breathing deeply his appealing musk. Nick found the contact the wonderful rabbit amazingly comforting, putting an arm around her, sitting on the parapet of the high building and watching the setting sun. Nick's ear twitched; realization came. Here in his arms was the rabbit he loved, there, behind him, was the pains of his past, already fading away in the back of his mind. Before him was a view of the city, lit in the glorious light of the setting sun, lain out before them in picturesque beauty.

He turned to Judy. He had never seen her look so happy, so content to just sit and do nothing. Yes, there was more than a little residual sadness there but, he knew by the weak smile of simple pleasure on her face: there was no ware she would rather bee. There had already been a lot of admissions that night. So, he decided in the wonderful golden glow of the setting sun, why not another? Now, he realized, was the time.

"Come sei bella, più bella stasera. How beautiful you are, the more beautiful tonight."

Judy's head rose, her glistening eyes meeting Nick's, his words spoken softly into Judy's ear.

"I brillare un sorriso di stella, nei tuoi occhi viola. I shine a star smile, in your violet eyes. Anche se avverso il destino domani fermarci, oggi mi fermo per voi.  
Even if the fates stop tomorrow,  
today I will stop for you...

"Tell me about love  
My whole life is you  
Your lovely eyes shine  
Flames, dream, sparkle.

"Tell me that I am not alone  
Tell me you are mine  
Here in your arms, I suffer no more  
for all the world is put right.

"I know that you are an enchantress  
I know I'm lost in your violet eyes  
But what do I care if the world makes fun of me?  
I only care if the world makes fun of you.

"...dimmi di più sul nostro amore.  
L'amore che abbiamo tra il coniglio e la volpe.  
L'amore condividiamo. Me, e tu.

"Tell me more about our love,  
The love that we have between the rabbit and the fox,  
The love we share. Me, and you."

Judy Hopps stared at Nick Wilde - her eyes glistening, shining, as the golden sun fell those last slow inches towards dusk. And then, moving slowly, carefully, Judy raised her paw and touched it upon Nick's cheek.

Her eyelids fell closed, then opened again, her pupils wide with intense emotion before she started to edge her head forwards, tentatively. She still wasn't sure if this was what Nick wanted, and so, the fox reassured her that it was.

Nick slipped a warm, red arm around Judy's back, helping to pull her body close as he leaned forwards also, letting his nose brush up against Judy's quivering nose in a gesture which Judy found almost as sweet and tender as the kiss itself when it came a moment later - Nick's lips, and Judy's, pressing together in a sigh of affection which was so mundane and uncomplicated on the face of it - yet held countless implications of the true emotions beneath the surface - and of what they both hoped they could become, 'later'.

And this, was their first _real_ kiss.

This was not a heat of the moment kiss delivered through fear or pain, this was not Judy kissing Nick or just Nick kissing Judy, and this was not done with outside influence (alcohol, for example). This kiss was considered and intentional by both The Fox and The Rabbit - who loved one another most deeply - and who hand hungered for the kiss as they had hungered for one another love and affection.

When the kiss started it was daytime. When the kiss ended, it was dusk.

Nick broke the kiss - but only to press his long snout beneath Judy's chin, rubbing his fur against her cheek, neck and chin; marking her with his deep, musky scent. It was not usual for such gestures to be allowed so very soon in a relationship - like sex - but Judy had no intention of stopping him, wallowing, as she always had, in every inch, every millimeter of fur-on-fur contact shared between them - and loving the fact she was coming to smell more and more like 'Nick' with every passing second.

At any rate, she _wanted_ to be marked with Nick's scent. Judy _wanted_ to be his.

The sun set, the clouds parting, a chill wind set up through the air, sharp and cutting, high up on the roof of Nick's block of flats. The chill cut into Judy, shivering up the length of her spine and making her quiver with the sudden cold. Nick noticed this shiver and reacted, holding her just a little firmer into his warmth and pressing his lips against her ear, his voice, when it came, as sweet and soft and gentle as it ever could be.

"There's a forest in that air, Miss Hopps. We'd best get you inside before you catch a chill."

"I don't think I could ever catch a chill if I'm in your arms, Nickey."

Nick smiled, a happy sound escaping from the back of his thorough. Then, the red fox kissed Judy on the side of her neck. Regardless of Judy's words, however, Nick then stood up, hooking one arm beneath smaller rabbits knees and the other around her back, standing, holding her close to his chest and carrying her, tenderly, towards the staircase down.

"Will," Nick begin unsurely as he looked at the rabbit in his arms, her arms around his neck with her head pressing into his chest. "Will you sleep over tonight?"

"You just try and stop me, Sweetheart." Judy took in a quick sniff of Nick's scent as they descended the exterior steps to his window. "I will make you have a shower, though, seeing as you still haven't cleaned yourself up since you got covered in soot at Ladders."

"I thought you _loved_ my musky fox scent," he said, pulling the window to his apartment up with the rabbit still in his arms.

"Yes, but at the moment its a little... overpowering. In fact, if your scent was any more 'overpowering' at the moment, I think I'd have to guarantee you as a health hazard!"

"Judy," said Nick as he stepped in the dark confines of his room, "you sly, sly bunny."

"You know you love me, _my_ dumb fox."

"Do I know that?" Nick said - carrying Judy over the threshold - placing the rabbit down on the floor before treating himself to a long and loving kiss on her lips... "Yes. Yes, I, do."

Judy smiled sweetly, warmly - lovingly. She kissed him again and allowed the kiss to linger for a long time, feeling out for the window and pushing it gently shut as the kiss deepened yet further.


	20. Getting Steamy

Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps embraced with deep hunger - the result of over a year of both emotional and physical attraction - allowed, finally, to be consciously recognized. In the darkness of Nick's living room their mouths met - lip pressing frantically against lip - as each felt the heat of the others body against their own.

The tender arms of the fox slipped around the shoulders of the rabbit, holding her close, both straining - the rabbit up, the fox down - for their lips to be able to meet. There eyes were each closed and their breaths short, their heartbeat pounding, pounding, pounding within their chests while their minds span in dizzy bliss.

Still in the act of kissing, Judy rushed to undo the buckles of her standard-issue, ZPD combat-vest. This was nothing new as she always stripped herself of her combat armor, even if Nick was watching, but, under the circumstances, the removal of clothing (even non-sensitive clothing) just felt so much more... intense

She let it drop to the floor and returned all her attention back to the wonderfully handsome fox before her, her lips pressing against his ever firmer and ever faster, as she stretched up on tip-tow to tug the knot from around his neck.

Nick felt his tie being loosened rather than saw it - his eyes closed to fully enjoy the sensation of his mouth pressing intimately against hers - and, when he realized the knot was gone, he tugged it sharply from around his neck and cast it aside.

The fox opened his eyes and stepped back from the kiss as he felt Judy's paws undoing the first of his shirt buttons - realizing, as the second was undone, that things might be about to become far more intimate. He had told himself he wasn't going to make Judy feel like she needed to go any further tonight then she felt comfortable to... _but that didn't mean he had to stop her._

"J-Judy," the fox started, unsurely, "if... if I go too far, or too fast, tell me, and I'll ease up-"

"Nick," the rabbit interrupted, her amethyst eyes meeting his emeralds, glistening in the dim light of the moon. "Nick, I want this - all of this..." Her paws came softly around the foxes waist, their small claws latching onto the hem of Nick's shirt from behind and untucking it from his belt. "...and I know you'll always treat me well, respect me and my body, and that you will always put my needs before your own." She lightly chuckled as she raised the hem out of his belt fully. "And that's just one of the reasons why I love you, Sweetheart." Judy pressed her lips against Nick's firmer for a second, and then slipped one of her paws up between his shirt and his back.

This was the first truly intimate fur-on-for contact they had ever sheared with the other. _Oh how she loved the roughness and warmth of the foxes beautiful russet fur... oh how he loved the sensation of her soft, gentle paws against his bare fur._

Nick slipped onto one knee, making kissing far less strenuous; allowing his hands to slip down Judy's neck and back - grazing lightly over her smooth, firm rump for just an instant - to then press against the back of her thy. As he lowed himself, he traced a line of kisses from her lips and softly down the side of her neck to press his lips on her shoulder.

The fox grazed his teeth up the side of Judy's neck, then smoothed the fur down again with a line of kisses going back down, sending a shiver through the rabbits body, a gasp through her lungs and a tingle between her legs.

When Judy noticed the tingle of arousal - for arousal it was - she clutched at the foxes ears and tugged his head back to face her, pushing her lips against hers with even more intercity than before. The fox pulled back from the kiss a second time. Judy started to grow cross - angry that he would be teasing at such a time - at least, she _thought_ he was just teasing. But a moment later he pushed back, pressing his cheek against hers, roughing his fur against the rabbits, putting his scent on her - to mark _her_ as _his_. It was an action, the implications of which, could never be described with just words. The emotional connection it created could never be rationalized. It was an act beyond the true understanding... something which could only be _felt._ Instinct.

Judy was ready - more than ready. Ready to give Nick everything he deserved - and take everything she wanted. In the closeness, the intimacy _-the heat-_ of the moment, Judy didn't care that she was a rabbit and Nick was a fox, she ignored the fear caused by her virginity as to what sex might actually be like and made her throw her caution to 'take it steady in case it hurt' to the wind... she had even forgotten the strict 'sex after marriage' teachings of her parents.

 _...but there was one small problem._

"Nick," Judy breathed, her eyes opening.

It took him a moment to respond, his eyes still closed, his muzzle still pressing against her neck. "Yes, Judy?"

"You... you _seriously_ need a shower." Nick stiffened. He opened his eyes and stared at the rabbit whose soft and sensually pleasured face suddenly split into something which was almost a cackle. "You absolutely _stink_ Nick!" Was all she could manage before breaking into laughter.

Nick looked down at his body and grunted. He was still covered in soot, sweat, flour, charcoal and God knows what else. He inhaled himself and grunted again, glowering down at Judy's continued laughter. "Well laugh it up, Cottontail."

"Hey," she chuckled, "I need one to. I did just as much running as you did, and I actually 'touched' the corps!"

"Okay, you win," he said, dryly, "you can have the first shower."

Her grin instantly dropped to a look of inquisitive unsurely. This unexpected change in expression caused Nick's face to turn concerned as the rabbit gazed up at him, her voice soft but steady. "I... thought the idea was we could shower together?"

It took Nick a moment to know how to respond and, when he did, it was a fumbled response at best. "I -thought- you were just joking or winding me up. You were serious?"

"Well, yeah; why shouldn't I be?"

"We've only been, like, _going out_ for all of five minutes. It's not right to go 'this' far this quickly."

"No. No, what it's 'not right' is to jump into something before you know you want it. It is right, however, to leap headlong into something you _know_ you want because all too soon it might be gone! I _know_ this - you - are what I want Nick."

"Judy, we shouldn't."

"Why not? I love your body and I would love to feel it pressing agai-"

"I don't want you to feel like you're just a sex object, Hopps!"

...silence descended on the room. A hard blush started working up the back of Nick's neck. He managed to keep it from spreading to his face enough to be viable and thanked his stars - for the hundredth time since first falling for Judy - that his russet fur was great at hiding blushes... most of the time.

"I... I wasn't suggesting we go all-out naked right away," she said, carefully, placing a delicate paw upon his bare chest, "if you'd feel more comfortable we'd keep our underwear on at least."

" I know, Judy. I know. But, even fully clothed, I'm still gonna get, y'know, excited".

"Okay, Nick, okay." She smiled. "We'll shower separately... for tonight at lest."

"Thank you, Judy. And I'm sorry I couldn't-"

"Don't you apologize, Nick. All you've done is shown restraint; how could I be mad at you for just _respecting_ my body?"

Judy smiled sweetly at Nick. After a few seconds, his expression of concern shifted into a warm smile. Judy reached out to the kneeling fox and took his paws in hers. Paw in paw, the rabbit lent forwards and kissed the foxes nose gently. "Go on, Nick," she said, "you have the first shower. You need it."

"Thanks Hopps." Nick placed a kiss on her forehead, slipped his mouth to rest beside her ear then muttered to her under his breath. "I love you."

She grinned. "I'll be waiting for you."

Nick grinned also. He stood, winked at her and turned. Judy watched with a smile of great fondness as he opened his bathroom door, but then, and idea flashed into her mind. It was time to play a little game with her fox. "Hey, Nickey, wait a sec'."

The fox turned in the door frame, his eyebrow raised as the small rabbit walked towards him, the grin of the devil on her face. His face dropped into something which was one part shock and one part excitement as a pare of soft, groping paws reached for his belt.

A breath of air escaped him as Judy slipped the tip of Nick's belt from the belt loop and tugged it sharply so the punch hole came away from the prong. Judy pulled the length of the belt from around his waist boisterously until it was all in her paws and then she let it drop to the floor with (what she was sure must have been) a sexy _thump_. Fun though this was, however, Judy knew - they both knew - their relationship should not go any further just yet.

Judy started to turn the fox back towards the bathroom, enjoying both Nick's dazed expression... and the bulge in his trousers which definitely wasn't there before. The rabbit gave Nick a playful slap on the rump, and then shoved him into the bathroom before closing the door behind him.

Judy pressed an eager ear against the door expectantly. She heard silence for a long time. Then, she heard the click of a button, the zip of a zipper, a moment of frenzied rustling, and finally - a number of long, deep, gasping, relief-filled breaths.

Judy laughed. She laughed long and she laughed hard. She laughed until tears started to well in her eyes and her legs gave away beneath her and she slipped down the door to the floor - her body and soul aglow with delight - as Nick's panting slowly leveled out and the shower started to run shortly after.

"Oh, Nick," Judy heard Nick mutter from the other side of the door, "however you managed to resist the sexiest damn rabbit in Zootopia for this long, I'll never know."

The flattery of the comment the fox made, unaware Judy could hear, sent a warm glow into her stomach. Eventually, as the sound of Nick's showering filled her ears, the rabbit stood, walked towards the light switch and reached towards it. She had to jump to reach the switch but, after a moment, the lights of Nick's apartment room flicked and then faded into life.

Nick's apartment was far nicer than Judy's and they both knew it. While Judy's apartment was but a simple rectangular room, Nick's was comprised of three rooms, one of which was divided into a secondary section. The room Judy was stood in was the living room which had one corner sectioned off as a kitchen area. The room Nick was in was the bathroom and there was also a bedroom.

It was a fairly decent living room, not lacking a television, and the joining kitchen was mostly comprehensive. The bathroom featured no bath but a large shower cubical, a toilet with an originality pull-and-chain design and an enamel sink. The bedroom contained a steal-frame, medium mammal, double bed with a window behind

Amusing herself, Judy started to make the unmade bed - letting her mind wonder towards what _nearly_ happened in the living room only seconds earlier. This line of thought brought her inexorably back to the 'sex after marriage' teachings of her parents.

Judy flinched making the bed. _Should she still do it with him anyway? Should she tell him if she did, or keep it a secret?_ Judy desisted in making the bed, her mind swimming with emotions and juxtaposing desires - the desire to please her parents and the desire to ' _be pleased_ ' by Nick.

Overcome with dizziness, Judy slipped down to the floor. She sat there for a time, wondering, debating, deliberating whether she should forget about her parents and do all those wonderful things with the fox she wanted... or follow the most strict teachings of her parents, wait until after she was married to him, and allow him to take her to bed after that.

...it took Judy a moment to realize marriage had come up in the course of her thoughts. It had never even crossed her mind he might not ask some day - that he might not want to marry her. She had just taken it for granted that he would, but, how could she be sure?

Well 'that' opened up a new and very long line of thoughts and feelings - not just about the wants of her, Nick and her parents - but of the laws of Zootopia themselves. Being an officer, Judy had a pretty firm grip of the ins and outs of the law, but, was marrying Nick even be... legal?

Judy felt herself starting to hyperventilate. She desperately sought for something to take her mind of thins. She looked about herself on the floor and spotted two cardboard paper folders on the floor.

Usually, she would have respected Nick's belongings - especially paperwork stowed under his bed - but, in that moment, she was so desperate to change the subject of her thoughts that she grabbed the closest without second thought.

She undid the flap, opened it, and was instantly presented with an image of a red-furred vixen a more than generous size bosom without any cloths on apart from a very small bra which was apparently of only ornamental value and a thin pare of knickers which hid her lower intimate area and precisely 'what' she was doing with the middle finger of the paw she had shoved down there...

Judy's ears sprang upright. She had the urge to slam the folder shut, hurtle it under the bed and sprint back into the living room pretending nothing had had the sudden and overwhelming urge to shut the folder, throw it under the bed, run back to the living room and pretend nothing had ever happened.

But something - dreadful curiosity - made her flick through the first pages. These foxes had even less clothing. They were in a variety of 'strange' positions and doing a number of 'strange' things.

She shut it and flipped it over to stair down at a second magazine of much the same content. It shocked Judy, to start with, to see female foxes like this and to know Nick had not only _bought_ these but had _**looked**_ at them.

Eventually, however, the rabbit started snickering at the various titles, flicking through the nearly-steaming pages. It wasn't that she was _enjoying_ looking at scantily-clad, big bosomed female foxes - it was just that she was finding it a amazing to see the kind of thing her newly-romantic-partner liked to see.

It all started quite amusingly and amiably with a dozen-or-so such titles as 'Foxy Ladies', 'Sly and Sexy' and 'Voluptuous Vixens'. But then the titles start to _change_. It took Judy to notice the difference - oblivious though it was - as she skimmed through the titles: 'Cotton Muffs', 'Bushy Tails', and finally, ' _Rabbit_ like it Rough'.

Judy's eyes bulged as they traced down the page from skim-reading the titles to examining the picture. Her eyes bulged yet further at the tan-yellow rabbit breasts which were clearly enhanced, with nothing but a black, leather bra on and nothing at all below the waist. The rabbit was lying on her back, a very satisfied expression on her face, with her knees up towards whatever took the photo and with a small yellow star superimposed over her 'sex' - just large enough to cover the bare minimum... if only just.

The door opened. "The showers all your-"

"Nick! Nick, there you are, I was just, erm-" Working with all possible haste, Judy shoved all the magazines back into the box, pushed it away, pulled the other towards her and opened it. She knew there was just as much chance this could have been a second box of porn, but she had to try.

Judy pulled out the thick, leather-bound book and flipped to a random page. She was just glad the lights were off as the darkness meant Nick would not have been able to see it.

"Judy, close it. Close it now!"

Instinctively, her head turned to the words and started to skim them. "Storm starts at seven fifteen so meet Carrots with serenade at five to allow two hours for food and fifteen minutes for trail-"

" _Hey_ , Hopps! That's personal!"

He strode the room towards her and snatched it from her. Huffing and grumbling under his breath as he smacked it back into its box and shoved it under the bed.

"What..." Judy said at last, dazed at what she read. "What is it?"

Nick stared for a long moment. There was no point trying to avoid the question, however, Judy had seen too much and Nick knew it. He sighed, the anger fading, as he slipped down onto the bed.

"It's my 'Husselers Gernal'."

"Your 'Hustlers Journal'?"

"Yeah!" He turned reached back under the bed and showed her the cover and the words 'Husselers Gernal' badly penned on the fount."

"Erm... that's not how you spell 'Hustlers Journal', Nick."

"I know, I know. But, I wrote that when I was about ten, Carrots. It's pretty much every con I've ever pulled is in that book, alongside ideas, thoughts, drafts of early plans. Everything. Stuff that's never been used, stuff that wouldn't be financially viable, even stupid stuff that'd never work, like - you know this one time, me and Finnick were both drunk and we wrote up a plan to take over all Zootopia! God, it was foolproof. But, obviously it'd never had worked, and I woke up the next morning and couldn't remember a thing of it. I took a look for the right page but it'd been cut out."

"What happened to it?"

"Well, I asked Finn that and he just told me it was too dangerous to keep with me and that he was keeping it for safety - well, that was the plan, anyway - but he dropped it in the canal and it was ruined."

"Ooh."

"But, there's other things in here too." With the excitement a child has when showing a new toy to a friend, Nick sat, patted the bed beside himself until Judy came to sit beside him, and then opened it to a page. "Take a look at this one." He said, proudly."

"...Wilde Times?" She read.

"Yeah, it's a themepark I was gonna start!"

"...a 'themepark, are you serious?"

"I am so. I had even found this old place I was gonna rent out to set it up in. The idea of the place was that it was for predators who were tiered of having to act so... _civil_ all the time. Now, I'm not saying we've served raw rabbit or anything like that, just someplace you could make a little noise without having to worry about scaring anyone."

"So," she said, excitedly, "why didn't you do it?"

"Well... I met you."

Judy was silent and still for a beat, then she put her arms around him, pressing her nose into his neck and kissing him in a sweet-spot just below the ear. "Thank you, Nickey. You're a great guy, you know that?"

"Am I?" he said. "Yes, yes I am."

"Har-hah. _Jerk._ "

"Go on, Hopps, go on. Go have your shower."

Judy stood. In payback for the 'belt' move Judy had pulled on him ( _and just because he wanted too_ ) Nick slapped Judy's behind as she went. The brief touch was _more_ than pleasurable, and the _ooph?_ of surprise Judy gave him before rushing out of the door with a bright red blush on her ears sent a wide, toothy grin right across his face.

Nick looked down. His grin fell as he saw the box of porn on the floor. Nick _had_ seen what Judy was first looking at - he was a fox, of course he'd seen, he could _see_ in the _dark_ for heavens sake - and he pulled the box back towards him, opened it up, and flicked his way through the magazines.

'This' was the one Judy was on - and he was very glad he had come in when he had because, if he had come in a moment later, she would have flipped that magazine over and would have reached the 'last' one...

Nick lifted it out. It was bondage and dominance and not at all what Nick wanted from Judy _or_ he he thought of her... but it was the only one of its kind in Zootopia for, as it turned out, there was no real market for dirty magazines with foxes _and_ rabbits without a lot of weird, screwed up stuff too.

He set down the illegal print (banned in Zootopia) of 'Pred-Prey Monthly ~ Foxes and Rabbits Edition', placed the other magazines over it and shut the lid... sliding it beneath the bed with the other before standing, reaching up to the curtains, and pulling them...

 _Shut._


	21. The Ebbing Storm

In the confines of Nick's bathroom - which where still warm and steamy from recent use and still smelt strongly and sweetly of fox - Judy slipped out of her black, carrot-print underwear and let it drop to the floor. Undoing the clip of her bra she let that drop also. Naked, she turned the knob in the shower cubical and, a moment later, hot water started gushing out and, sighing contentedly, Judy Hopps stepped in.

This was by no means the first time Judy had showed around Nick's place for, even though her apartment had communal showers, she had always preferred to shower privately. Judy had decided the first time she had used his shower she wouldn't lock the door. It was not a decision she had taken lightly, mind you, and she had stood just inside the bathroom door with her paw on the lock for quite a time considering. Eventually, she came to this conclusion:

Nick was fully aware Judy was in the shower and, because of this, he wouldn't come in. Because of this, the only function the lock had would be to stop him doing something he wasn't going to do anyway. This (and the fact Nick would be able to hear if the lock was put on) meant that locking the door would only serve to show Nick that she didn't trust him not to come in - which she did, of course - and so - within the first week of meeting the fox - Judy had shown Nick just how much she trusted him, by stripping naked in his house and leaving the bathroom door unlocked. This show of trust was never mentioned by the fox - but it was one which Nick was always grateful for.

Now, however, things were different. Stood beneath the heat of the shower, her paws rubbing all across her body, Judy tried to picture what life would be like right now if the bathroom door opened and Nick sauntered in, bare to the fur; tried to imagine what she would do when the fox slid the shower cubical open and his large, red paws reached out towards her...

She was still deliberating whether to follow the teachings of her parents or her own wants and desires - but, she knew, if Nick came in through that door, wearing nothing but the lazy, charming smile she fell in love with - there would be nothing she could do to resist him... and Nick, who was stood just outside the bathroom door with his paw on the handle, wanted nothing more than to join her.

The fox took another deep breath as he tried to steady his mind. As each moment passed Nick tried to force himself to step away from the door and go about his business like the gentlemammal he should be - but bare and basic 'desire' prevented it. Nick wanted her - wanted her body - and had done now for almost a year; as much as his mind tried to steer him away, his body, driven half-mad with desire, drove him on and his mind was starting to give in.

After all, we came close just now, and the only reason she stopped it was because I stank. Well, I'm clean now, and so is she. So, why can't we?

Because it's just wrong! You told yourself you wouldn't let your animalistic desires overrule your judgment. Well, that's what happening right now.

Surely just a look wouldn't hurt. It's not like Judy's gonna want to break up with me for just taking a look.

And if she does?

No... she-

-look! It's possible, it is entirely possible - heck, it's more than likely - that Judy is going to want a romantic partner who can 'control' himself, who can respect her privacy and-

"Alright! Jesus Christ, is my mind always this whiny?" The fox started back with surprise as he realized his thoughts came out loud. He turned and looked self-consciously about the room, then turned back to the door.

Nick agreed with himself fully - going in was a bad idea. Not only might he upset Judy and make her think he was just a sex-driven creep, but she might also feel as though he was taking advantage of the fact she was a 'rabbit', and expecting her to 'behave' in a certain way just because of the common beliefs about 'rabbits' and their 'multiplying'. It was decided. Nick would not go in. He should walk away now and-

-his body acted without seeking permission from the mind. It raised a paw and tapped on the wood sharply half a second before Nick could stop it.

Inside, Judy was rubbing her paws across her chest to work the suds in deep. She didn't know when she started to, but in the course of washing the rabbit had closed her eyes and had started imagining it as Nick's paws doing the rubbing. It wasn't a very good impression because her paws were half the size of Nick's, were unpadded and didn't smell of fox - but just thinking of Nick as she fondled her body was enough to fill her with blissful, sensual excitement.

Lost in the thought of how Nick might embrace her, how it might feel for his body to press against hers, the sound of knocking startled her and she replied automatically. "Come in."

Outside, the fox grinned. Inside, a paw shot over the rabbits mouth as a deep red blush worked right across her face and down her back.

Before Judy's mind had time to shift through the shock and rectify her answer to an instruction to wait while she covered herself, the door was already opening.

Covered in suds, Judy rushed to grab a towel before Nick could come in, as one of his large paws appeared around the slowly opening door. She opened the door and was about to step out and cross the room when the cold air hit her. The chill sharpened her seances and it made everything more real. She was naked and Nick -Nick- was about to join her... in fear and excitement, Judy backed against the wall and beneath the shower head. Unfortunately, therefor, allowing all the suds to drain away, leaving her without even a blanket of soap to cover herself with.

Judy shrank back as a large, red tale sweeped into the room for an instant, legs and paws moving to try and cover all the most intimate areas.

It was one thing to fantasize about Nick... it was quite another for those fantasies to come true.

A black snout appeared and the door edged forwards a further inch. Judy's moth moved, forming the start of a thought of an attempt of the first syllable of a potential word. "N - n - nn - Ni." And then the door stopped, and the casual calm of Nick's voice cut clean through her tremulation.

"Hey Carrots, I'm putting some food on, you want some?" ...when Nick didn't get a pearly, he decided he should try a little teasing. "Hopps? You in there? Hopps?" Briskly, the door opened another inch and Judy's reply - a hurried and garbled string of words - rushed out of the rabbit with all possible haste.

"Arrgh wait! I would, yes, yes please Nick, yes I would like some, some - some 'food' I mean! Not... - please, Nick, thank you..."

Judy could hear the grin when Nick, again, spoke. "Alright then. One 'Carrot' stew coming right up." And then, with a click, the door was shut. Judy slowly slipped down the wall as the anticipation left her body - the adrenaline rush leaving her drained - and, outside, Nick snicked before pacing towards the kitchen.

Turning the dial on the oven, Nick started to heat the main compartment. He took out an imitation-stake pastie for himself (you could get chicken and fish which was real, but things like bacon, lamb and beef where mostly imitation... (or bought illegally from the black market) and a carrot stew for Judy (carrots, as far as Nick knew, where always real). He added a few other odds and ends to build up a decent-sized meal. The bathroom door clicked behind him, he turned, and the love of his life stepped into view.

"Hey little Bunbun," he teased, "good shower?"

Briskly, Judy crossed the room. She had no change of cloths with her and to put her stinking and sweaty cloths back on after a shower would have just been foolish. So, she had slipped into Nick's dressing gown (Nick was wearing an old shirt and some jeans). The gown was black and hung several feet below her feet and dragged on the floor behind her. The band was too long and so the rabbit had wrapped it around herself twice before doing up the knot. The sleeves had been folded up to suit her arm-length so many times it was torso thick. There was also too much material overall and so it hung of her body loosely and Nick hoped it "didn't" (he lied) slip and reveal anything.

In this state, Judy crossed the room towards the fox and smartly smited him in the chest. "That's for coming into the bathroom while I was showering!" It wasn't a hard punch, and Nick only bent over in pain to be playful. His mouth at an irresistible level, Judy shot her paws out to grasp around his neck before she pushed her lips up against Nick's. "...and that's for coming into my life."

The jolt caused by the surprise of the kiss had Nick's arms slip around Judy's waist. His mild pain forgotten, a smile broke upon his muzzle. Leaning forwards, their lips met a second time, than a third. The fourth kiss was sweetest of all, lingering on long after all the other kisses had died off.

After that, the fox pushed himself forwards, cupping Judy in his arms and falling forwards slowly, steadily, to the floor, using a knee and an arm to keep the movement slow. He lay her down upon the floor, tucking his warm tail beneath her to protect her from the cold of the tiled floor as his head lowed towards her, stopping a mean inch above her lips. Green eyes gazed upon amethyst.

"Well, Hopps, you did it."

"What did I do, Nick?" she breathed.

"You broke it - my past I mean. I don't know why I held on so tightly to whats already gone by, I nearly missed what I have now. I can't ever thank you enough for showing me what really matted: You."

"Nick, I-"

"But I promise, Hopps. Now I have you, I'm not ever letting go."

Judy smiled. Beneath the red fox who smelt so clean and whose fur was so vibrantly red and smooth, she had never felt more content, more happy, more loved. The warmth of his body, the softness of his touch, the scent in the air and the unusual but appealing taste of his lips as they pressed against hers yet again - Judy knew, life, was good.

* * *

Pail eyes gazed upon the cityscape of Zootopia. It was nighttime now - safe to enter. Having left the refuge of the old lumber-shack he called his home, the albino white wolf stepped yet further towards the city.

His stomach was full with the sweet and tender fresh meet of coney; his groin still tingling with warmth and carnal satisfaction of her heat. His head was alight with the happy memories of her moaning and crying, her begging and sobbing... and his coat still read with her blood.

Stripped naked, the wolf's gleaming, muscular, snow-like body paced to the edge of the bank where the river which surrounded the city of Zootopia lye. The now parted clouds now allowed the pail moonlight to shine down upon the glistening waters which the white wolf walked towards and then - with the grace and delicacy of a baptism - slipped into. The coldness that surrounded the albino wolf both sharpened and stimulated his seances just at washed the blood of his food-cum-sextoy from his tarnished fur. He walked until the water was around his shoulders - detached to the freezing temperature - and then, submerged his head.

Raising a moment later, he dragged his claws through his fur and across his ears, roughing it with more water, until the red which coated him drained off his head and into the unclue'd water beneath. Ducking his head again, he pushed himself through the cleanness of the icy water, roughing and smoothing all his body, until he was clean again.

He stepped out shortly after, dripping, allowing his fur to dry naturally in the chill, night air, his fur now as untarnished as the soul within. His heart, though black, was light in his chest; his soul was free of guilt and his mind unburdened from remorse. No regrets. No conscience.

His mind was not like yours or mine, it was... different. The white wolf who stepped out of the crystal-water was not only ignoring the painful coldness that surrounded him, but incapable of feeling it. All emotions - love, guilt, envy, all of them - arise from a complex combination of chemicals released into the brain, and yet - in his case - the wolfs mind was not able to make these. Only base emotions - anger, envy, lust - were known to him. Remorse, love, even physical pain - were not known.

His body was not like yours or mine, it was... wrong. Counting for appearances only, the wolf might only have appeared to be an unnaturally athletic wolf - with muscles which looked as though they could out-wrestle a bull and a body a clear foot taller than any wolf you may ever meet - but, the seance of wrongness, went far deeper. His body and muscles were all vast and cumbersome-looking, yet the wolf's white body moved with a deft delicacy - a graceful, and deadly, swiftness - the culmination of perfect balance, precise moments and practiced efficiency.

And his eyes... his eyes were not like yours or mine, they were piercing, slitted - savage.

The savage wolf pulled some city-cloths from an old crate by the water side and pulled them on. The savage wolf dressed hurriedly and then dragged a tarpaulin off from covering an old, one mammal rowing boat which he pulled towards the edge of the river.

It was a heavy craft, and the bow dug deep into the dirt. The weight of the boat and the drag of the bow in the earth would have made it impossible for a lone mammal of the wolf's size to pull on his own... yet there was not even a twitch of strain on his snow-white, sharp features - or a flicker of uneasein his pail, slitted eyes - as he dragged it effortlessly towards the water's edge.

He set the boat into the water, slipped in, took up an ore and started to row towards the city of Zootopia... and, within a shack not far from here, flies buzzed around the rotting, half-devoured corps of a of a young, female rabbit.


	22. The Great Discussion

Pots of boiling water bubbled upon the hob. From the rising steam, a red fox pulled his head and turned to face the room, turning to the rabbit who was sat upon a sofa in the adjoining living room.

"Hopps darlin', you want me to fix you up some of that spiced 'carrot' gravy you liked?"

"You know the recipe? Yeah, great!"

In the sectioned off area of the living room which worked as the kitchen in Nick's apartment, the fox grinned as he turned his back on the rabbit and reached into his fridge. He took out a packet of chicken cubes and pulled open the seal.

"Oh, I know all sorts of secret recopies, Carrots. For instance, want to know how to make Gold Soup?"

"Put twenty-four carrets in it?"

"Arh, shucks. You've heard it."

"No, silly fox, just figured it out." Judy watched the fox in something of a daze - he looked sexy just making dinner, so fluent and graceful - but for all the attention she had on him, she failed to notice that what Nick was actually pouring into a pot was anything _but_ carrot.

"So," Nick asked, more than a little suggestively, "is there anything you wanted to do... _later_."

" _Hmmhm_ , one or two things. But there's this one really _important_ thing that I can't decide on."

"And what's that?"

"Nick," she muttered, "you know the one."

"To _'pluck your flower'?_ " Nick said, turning his head half towards her with a sly grin upon his face. She nodded once, blushing, and he chuckled before turning back to his preparations. "Don't worry so much about it, Hopps - I'll be gentle, it'll be great - and if you're not ready to go that far, _pfft_ , you think I care?"

He turned to face the rabbit who was listening intently, leaning his back on the cabinet as he continued. "Look, Judy, our relationship has gone further and moved faster tonight than I ever dared to hope to _think_ that it could outside of a dream. So don't you ever feel like you have to do something you're not ready to do just to please me. I'm already happier than I ever thought I could be. Just to see you sitting there - you don't even have to do anything - to see you sitting there and to know who you are to me and what _I_ am to _you_ , is just... so - _beyond_ \- anything I thought I was worthy of in this life."

She held his gaze for a moment, smiling, but then she sagged. "Actually, Nick," she said, her gaze dropping to her lap, "the, _err_ , 'one or two things' I wanted to do was to talk to you about our future together. Kids, marriage and... _'so on'_."

"...wow, are all bunnies this forwards when it comes to relationships or is it just you?"

She snicked lightly and would have called him _'jerk'_ if her mood wasn't so fixed on the conversation to come. "This time, it's _all_ rabbits." She patted the seat beside her. "Come, sit down."

Nick stood in motionless silence for a moment, then he turned back to the simmering pots of food and turned them down to a low heat - if his assumption was right, this conversation could go on for quite a while.

"There's something else I want to talk to you about too," she said as he crossed the room, "other than our relationship. I know you've already told me just about everything you can about your past, but, I need to know. How did you get... _'this'?_ " From her pocket Judy pulled the Ruger SR, Master Edition.

Nick sat down beside her on the old, well-worn sofa. He reached across and took it carefully but unsurely from her hands. "What do you know of this?"

"They found a bullet at Ladders. It matches the gun. They think this is the murder weapon."

"And they think I'm the murderer now?"

"No. They don't know you have it."

"Do you think I did it?"

" _No!_ No, of course I don't."

"Well, it is pretty suspect~"

"Yeah but you're _Nick_ _!_ You wouldn't kill anyone."

"Then why bring it up?"

"Because they think it's the murder weapon! Jefferson said it's only a matter of time before the people at Ruger find the paperwork that assigns this gun as belonging to you - and when that happens - there going to come straight over here looking for you. It'd be better to tell them _right now_ than to let them figure it out on their own, to then come over and probably arrest you on the spot without the chance to explain yourself you'd get by telling Bogo personally."

"Well, I don't know what to say Hopps, but that gun hasn't seen the light of day for three years. I shot it for the first time since then today and it's been beneath my bed ever since."

"They know it's definitely a gun of that model, and since it's the only one ever made then-"

"Who told you that?" Nick interrupted, incredulously.

"...you mean, it's _not_ the only one?"

"No, Judy. This gun has a sister."

"A sister? So... there are two? And the _other_ gun is the murder weapon!" In excitement, Judy leaped up off the sofa and reached for her phone. "We gotta tell Bogo, Nick. We gotta tell him there's another-"

" _Hopps!_ "

Judy faulted. Her smile fading, her gaze settled upon the fox, her finger hovering above the 'call' button. "What? What is it?"

Nick grunted slightly. He reached out to the rabbit and took her by the arm, pulling her back down onto the sofa as he spoke. "Look, let me get this straight, Officers Jefferson and Leopolde - two very well respected mammals from the M.I.B. - have declared this gun the only one if its kind. Yes?"

" _Erm..._ yeah."

"Whereas _I_ \- still a newbie to the police force by most accounts and the murder _suspect_ no less - state that there are, in fact, two. Yes?"

"Yes... what are you saying?"

"Who is Bogo likely to believe?"

"... _oh_."

Nick sighed. "Yeah, ' _oh_ ' is right. If two of Bogo's detectives say ther-"

"But Bogo knows you, Bogo trusts you. He _can't_ possibly think you're involved."

"Bogo also _can't_ be seen to be treating his officers any differentially when under suspicion. If word gets about that he overlooks crime within his own ranks, he'll be tossed outta the 'chief's' chair quicker than you can shake a fist at a blind snake!"

"Well... I know you're innocent."

Nick snorted, lightly. Reaching out to the rabbit he put an arm around her, pulling her across the sofa and against his side, putting his arm tighter around her once she was close. "Thanks, Hopps. That's a real big help."

She thumped the forearm which was wrapped around her with her fist, lightly. "Enough with the sarcasm, Sweetheart."

"I'm not _being_ sarcastic, Judy, I'm serious. If you have faith in me, well... you've already _seen_ the difference that makes. From hustler to cop in a little over a month? I never thought it possible. And it wouldn't have been without you to guide me."

Judy chuckled lightly - warmed in both body and spirit by the close comfort of 'Nick', but then, a frown grew. Judy rested her hand upon the muzzle of the gun Nick was holding. "I do have to ask you some questions, though."

Grunting slightly, Nick let go of it and Judy fumbled with the sudden weight as she took it. "What do you want to know?" Nick said as he sat back.

"First off, do you have any idea who might own the other gun?"

"Yes," he said bluntly, "in fact I know exactly who owned the other gun."

" _Owned_? Why is that the past thence?"

"Because she's dead."

Judy felt she knew the answer, but she had to ask anyway. "Who is?"

Nick sat back further, edging away from Judy slightly to turn to her in the seat. He pointed to the gun, his ears low, his breathing coming and going harshly in grunts. "There's, err, an inscription, on the side," he mumbled, "you might, wanna, take a look."

The rabbit starred blankly at the fox for a moment, then, she looked down at the gun she still held in her hands. She flipped it over, holding the unloaded device by the grip. She spotted the inscription just above the ident' number and she read it out loud.

"To Nick ~ Love Scarlett." She looked up again, a questioning expression on her face, in time to see Nick had been wincing at hearing those words out loud.

"Scarlett always has this _passion_ for guns and shooting," he said, "we used to spend hours on the shooting range after we started going out. I bought this gun - had it made for her back when we were with the Krey Twins - I was on a much higher income back then. I got it engraved, gave it to her, and a few weeks later she'd got an identical copy for me - except the inscription was reversed. Whatever bastard killed Scarlett stole it that day. I don't have a clue where to find it. I was too afraid to seek it out because that would mean getting back in touch with The Firm who I had only just freed myself from, and, at the time when Bogo was taring their ranks apart. After that, I guess it just wound up in police custody somewhere, probably stolen by a 'commander' at some point - and with good reason - those guns made us the best damn shooters in the club. We were even asked to attend an international competition once."

" _Huh_ , yeah, I saw how accurate you where on the roof. That was pretty impressive shooting, Slick."

"Impressive? Seriously, Hopps, ' _Deadeye_ 's the word for it." Judy giggled. Nick, delighted by the sound as he always way, carried on the tease. "What do you think - a tattoo, 'Deadeye' - right across my forearm?"

" _Noo!_ " She mock-shouted, climbing onto him and putting the fox into a clumsy headlock. "Nick," she warned, "I swear to God, if you so much as _think_ of getting a tattoo, I'll-"

"I submit, Judy, I submit!" He cried as those small soft paws worked around his neck. "I promise, Carrots, I won't ever think of getting my fur permanently dyed ever again."

"Good..." she breathed, her head close to his ear. She did not move back. However she did loosen her grip and so the headlock became just a very intimate hug. Judy's head moved forwards and she kissed the fox on the corner of his mouth. "...because you're _perfect,_ just the way you are."

Nick turned his head to look at her, a smile gracing his lips. Nick raised his paws and touched them upon her back. He lowered them and lifted the rabbit carefully off her feet. Judy responded and, not taking her arms from around his neck, looped her legs about his waist. The rabbit off her feet, Nick raised his legs off the floor, turned, and slid his body beneath her - going from sitting to lying on his back down the length of the sofa.

Gently as ever, the fox then lowered Judy's legs from around his waist and onto the padding of the sofa. The rabbit stood over him, looking down at the fox with great fondness in her eyes as she lowered herself down - her legs either side of his body with her knees level with his hips - as she kissed him most lovingly upon the lips... _neither quite noticed, but it was a very suggestive position..._

"So, Detective Inspector," Nick said, "what else did you want to know?"

" _Ooh_ , I think we can belay the rest of the interrogation for now. I think we have more _pressing_ matters ~"

She leaned towards him, sure of herself in the fact that she wanted to be close to the fox and that she knew the fox wanted to be close to her - yet unsure of herself in what she now had to say.

"Nick, there are three things that I need to talk to you about. Kids, marriage and sex. You take pick of what you want to cover first."

" _Sooo_ , just to be clear, this kind of directness is quite common among bunnies?"

"Yeah. Usually two rabbits will know where the other stands on all of those matters before they even start thinking about each other in that way - or by the end of the first date at least - actually, most of the time it's a matter of finding a _compatible_ mate rather than a _loving_ one. So, which one?"

" _Urrrgh_ ," he started, pathetically, "I like _sex ~_ "

Judy snicked, a blush working up her cheeks which she forced down with a stern hand. "I knew you were gonna pick that one," she said, putting heavy, alluring emphasis on the next words, "you _dirty_ fox."

Nick cleared his throat uncomfortably, tugging at his collar a little as he tried to keep things professional... knowing full well that if he didn't keep his mind in that 'professional' place, he'd be rising like a skyscraper in seconds. "Well, aside from the obvious reasons," he said, "it's probably the easiest to deal with."

"Yeah, alright. So, look, I want to have sex with you, Nick, I really do" _-well Nick, so much for holding 'back' the skyscraper_ \- "but, my parents, they ~"

"You're afraid of what they'll think? I understand."

"No, it's not just that. My parents, they believe in having sex only after marriage. Now, I don't know if I believe in that myself and, if you think it'd be okay, I'd still be _more_ than happy to share a bed with you some time - _tonight, if you'd have me_ \- but - I... I don't know. What do you think?"

"What does this relationship mean to you," Nick said after a moment, keeping his gaze carefully fixed on nothing. "Is this a bit of harmless fun in the daylight and a fool-around with a close friend, or is this something more serious?"

Judy stared concernedly as she formulated an answer. She didn't want to be so direct as this, but she _knew_ it was imperative she told the absolute truth at this most pinnacle moment.

"I..." she said... "I would be happy - no, _more than happy_ \- I'd count myself _blessed_ if we were to spend to rest of our lives together."

Nick's eyes went from gazing out at nothing to starring at Judy intensely, lost for words as the meaning sunk in. Judy felt his heartbeat quicken dramatically beneath her, his mouth moving soundlessly before he managed to speak.

"W-well, it's decided, then."

A cheeky grin and a blush grew on the rabbits face as she quietly huffed, "you mean, we can _do it_?"

" _No._ If this was just a bit of fun between two close friends, then sure, I'd take you to bed, no harm done really. But if we're going to go all the way together - to the point where we may marry and might never take on another mate in our lives - then we _have_ to respect your parents wishes."

"I... I see." Judy was disappointed, but, at the same time, she was also elated that Nick had reacted only positively towards the idea of them being together permanently and glad that he respected her as he did.

"Next thing, Nick..." Judy lent close into his side for comfort. This was the hard part. "Nick - leaving whether we actually _want to_ , to one side -" She looked up into his solum face. "Do - do you think we would be _allowed_ to marry?"

Nick's head twitched - shaking ever so slightly - then the fox brought up a tender paw and started, softly, to cores the rabbits drooping ears. "I don't know Hopps - I don't know. But, I'm sure there's something we could do. If it comes to the worst - if there aren't any priests willing and if we can't get the approval of your father - then we could always hold a _private_ ceremony. That's how foxes usually do it - just you and me - no one else. Just you and me in a cottage in the woods, in a place of outstanding natural beauty. It wouldn't be legally recognized, but, so long as it matters to _'us'_.. _._ what difference does it truly make?"

"You know what? I think that sounds really wonderful. I think we should do that. Even if we are allowed to marry in the traditional way, I still think we should do that."

The fox grinned as a new 'tease' came to mind. "The only problem then, of course, is that you've got the risk of spending three days alone with a shifty fox; who knows what might happen!" With a rush, the fox pushed his jaw to Judy's shoulder, putting a line of playful nips across her fur with his teeth and growling playfully as Judy giggled, until she sat forwards, twisted around and clamped her paw firmly shut over his muzzle.

"How'd you get to be such a dumb fox?" She said.

He raised his paw to hers and took it of his muzzle, holding it in his paw and caressing it tenderly as he spoke. "Years of practice, Carrots. Years of practice."

"Why do always have to spoil tender moments like that?"

Nick lowed his muzzle to Judy's neck a second time, but instead of a line of nips, he pressed his lips genitally against her fur, fondly listening to the airy sight of contentment released by the rabbit. "You mad?"

"To fall for you? I must be."

"No, mad 'at' me."

"Nick," Judy settled back into his chest a little, "I could never be mad at you for being who you are. I'm in love with you, Slick, and I fell in love with you a long time ago; you don't need to be anyone apart from the wonderfully charming fox I fell in love with to make me the happiest bunny on this earth."

Judy pushed her lips against Nick's and the fox kissed her back, hungrily. The kiss quickly deepened, but Judy forced herself to back out of it before she forgot all about the _third_ point she wanted to talk to Nick about.

The look of disappointment on Nick's face as she pushed herself away slightly to sit upon his lap pained the rabbit deeply, so Judy pushed aside the uncertainty of whether she should be talking about this or not away and asked her question directly in a bid to make things easier for him. "Would you like to have kids some day - not soon, maybe not even with _me_ , just at all _,_ with anyone, ever - is that something you would want?"

"I can't say I've ever really thought about it. I guess after the time I had with my parents, I figured I'd never have cubs of my own, but," he added with a slight smile, "that's an opinion _very_ liable to change. You?"

"Well, my parents certainly think I am. Since sisters of mine who are younger than me started to turn into grandparents, Mom and Dad can't stop asking about whether I have a boyfriend yet or not - ( _God, how am I gonna tell them about this)_."

The fox snicked. "Lets get to that when it comes, shall we? I think you've already got enough to think about _without_ throwing three million _other_ rabbits into the equation."

"Hey," she giggled, "there's only one-hundred and fifty-one thousand, two-hundred and fifty three, you know."

" _Boy..._ remember when we first met? You only had two-hundred and seventy-five back then."

"Yeah... then my two-hundred and seventy-five brothers and sisters had two-hundred and seventy-five kids of their own; then some of _there_ kids started having kids. We are good at multiplying, after all, and all of them from just two rabbits, Mom and Dad! Can you imagine?" She continued, growing excited, "That could be us in a few... _ooh_ ~"

Judy trailed off... because Nick was turning pail. "But," she added quickly, " _we_ wouldn't have to have that many. It's only in the country where rabbits have that many offspring, in the city, we're more likely just to have a couple'a dozen."

"Dozen **!?** "

"Oh _don't_ give me that look, Nick," she teased, "that's only _one_ litter, after all."

"Could... couldn't we haggle about this?"

"With _my_ haggling skills against _yours_? I'd have to be crazy!"

"Give it a go, Hopps, and remember what I taught you."

"... _alright,_ tell me how many you'd want, give me a number to work from, and we'll start from there."

"Well, err, how about one?"

"How about twelve?"

"Two?"

"Twelve."

"Three?"

"Twelve!"

" _Fo-_ "

" _Twelve!_ "

"...you really haven't got the hang of this 'haggling' lark, have you?"

Judy raised herself on her knees, pushing Nick's body slowly back with a paw as she moved further atop him. The foxes body leaning to a forty-five degree angle as the body of the rabbit came pushing heatedly against his.

"How about four?" Judy said, all trepidation as to whether this was something either Nick, or herself, actually wanted lost in the dizzy excitement of the moment. "Think about it, Nickey." She pressed her lips against his, softly. "Me, you, and four little kids to call our own."

The fox pulled his arms close around the rabbits body. "Well now, that sounds like something I read in the Bible once."

"The Bible?"

"Yeah - because I'd have to be in Heaven for life to be that good."

Judy pulled herself closer into him, tucking her head in beneath his in a way that was somehow so comforting to both of them, sighing contentedly as her eyes started to fall shut and her breaths leveled out and became deeper.

" _Aww_ , has the w'ittle cutesy bunny got herself all tired out?"

"Not so tired that I couldn't put you on your ass if I wanted," she said without opening her eyes, "and yes, I never thought a conversation could be so _draining_. I guess its a different matter when you're talking about love, sex, marriage _and_ kids."

"Yep. That's some pretty heavy conversation to be having with the guy you've barely been dating for all of one hour."

"Is that all it's been?" she mumbled as sleep took her, "seems like longer."

"I think, Jules - in our own _special_ way - the two of us have been dating secretly since the day we first me. Dating _so_ secretly, that we didn't even realize it ourselves."

" _Hmm,_ yeah, I think we have." Judy opened her eyes, meeting the foxes gaze as she spoke in a sleep-slurred mutter. "How did that line go in that song you sung? Here in your arms I suffer no more? I'm just glad - so glad things have worked out the way they have."

All Nick could do was smile as he felt the small form of the rabbit settle closer into his chest, her eyes falling closed with a beaming smile on her face and with her breath turning to a shallow purr.

Nick found himself very glad he had turned down the heat on the hob - that he could enjoy the warmth, purring and sweet smell of his lover for half an hour before having to rise.

Judy opened her eyes one last time, meeting the foxes gaze lovingly and cherishingly as she spoke. "I love you, dumb fox."

The fox leaned forwards. He pressed his nose softly against Judy's for a moment, then kissed that delicate, pink protuberance before whispering in reply. "I love you too, sly rabbit."

The rabbit grinned sleepily, then her gaze lost focus, her eyes closed and Judy fell into a comfortable, contented, deep and happy sleep...

And, one floor above the pair, sitting on the ground with a pencil and notepad at the ready, wearing a pare of headphones which connected to a radio mic concealed in the room below, Jack Savage licked the tip of his pencil, lent back towards his notepad, and jotted down what he had heard, muttering it under his breath as he wrote. " _Judy: I love you, dumb fox. Nick: I love you too, sly bunny._ "

And, lastly, upon the outskirts of town, a small, wooden rowing boat made port upon the quiet earthen bank, witnessed only by the moon and the stars, by the heaven and the earth, as the moon slowly rose over the still and silent cityscape, of Zootopia.


	23. Diverse Developments

"No good. It's no bloody good." Grunting for the dozenth time that evening, Bogo sat, slumping back in his large and reinforced office chair in the study of his flat.

He looked about at his gray and sparsely furnished home. True, with the money he was payed he could have bought himself a really nice house of his own, rather than renting out a comparatively shabby flat, but the reason he had chosen to live here was because it was close. If he wanted to buy an actual _house_ , it would mean a fifteen minute walk every morning to get to work, whereas this place was practically next door.

Besides, it was hardly used anyway, as Bogo made a habit of working extra hours whenever necessary (in a city this big, it was always necessary) and rarely did anything other then eat, sleep or spend yet more time looking into leads or finishing off paperwork with the little time he really spent there. Nice houses - like relationships - where pointless when you were Chief of Police.

Grumbling, pushing back against the wall, the wheels of the chair trundled as it rolled towards Bogo's desk. Stopping, he reached out to the third draw down and took out a bottle of expensive brandy. He poured out a generous-sized glass for himself, replaced the stopper, and raised the glass to his lips.

His gaze fell back on the large whiteboard he had the proprietors install on one wall. Five feet high and twelve feet across, it depicted a simplified map of Zootopia, but allowed for drawings to be made over it which could be rubbed out after - useful in these situations. "Damn it," Bogo spat, "there is no bloody pattern, none at all." He took back the strong glass in one, breathed for a moment while it settled, and then stood again. "Guess I'll just go over the damn bloody thing again," he muttered, his voice now a little slurred.

"So," he grumbled, picking up a red marker pen and drawing dots all over the city-map-depicting whiteboard, "there have been ninety-five dealings in the past seven days - and that's just the ones we know about."

Taking up a green pen, Bogo drew a circle around some of red circles representing dealings. "Twenty-six of these dealings occurred in the past twenty-four hours, so that means there's a definite and sudden increase in the dealings."

With green circles drawn around the most recent dealings, Bogo took a step back. "Dots," he mumbled, "dots everywhere. No pattern, no sequence, no meaning. Where do they come from, these drugs? This spike is too high and too sudden to just be a rise in 'trend'. Clearly there is some kind of gang in operation here. But if it's a gang, where are they based?"

His gaze shifting here and there upon the map, Bogo tapped the butt of his pen against his chin. "They must have a base of operations. A disused factory, the underground sewer system, an abandoned warehouse, perh-" Bogo froze as a thought struck him; his gaze locked upon a small building in Zootopia's main industrial complex.

Bogo snorted, once. "Ladders and Ladders and CO." The slither of a smile grew on Bogo's face. "Now how did I miss that?" He had been so focused on finding 'concentrations' of dealings, he had failed to notice the definite 'lack' of dealings in that area since it burnt down.

His smile growing, Bogo sweeped the rest of the map with his eyes. The locations of known dealings were pretty much evenly distributed thought all of Zootopia. The dealings which occurred in the past twenty-four hours were distributed pretty much evenly among them... except around Ladder's and Ladders.

Bogo let out a number of slow, low chuckles. "It's a hive," he said proudly. "One of a number."

The Chief of Police picked up a blue marker pen. Raising it to the board, Bogo drew a large circle around Ladders and Ladders which encompassed all of the dealings which had occurred prior to the warehouse burning down, but without including any of the dealings suspected to take place after.

"The hive is in operation; drugs are sold and deals made. The hive burns down, however; the deals stop."

Raising the pen again, he drew a dozen more identically-sized circles until every inch of the map was within the radius of a suspected 'hive'. He did this like he was playing the old computer game 'Minesweeper' - using oddities in the terrain and things like Precinct borders and built up, industrial areas to intelligently fathom where the boundaries of other such 'hives' might be. Using the radius of the circle around Ladders as a template and starting point to help mark up the others.

"Lets say," he said when this was done, "a twenty-five percent marine for error."

Picking up a yellow pen, he drew smaller circles in the center of the larger, blue ones (so twenty-five percent was on the inside, seventy-five on the outside) and smiled at the result because, if he was right - and if his margin for error was accurate enough - then he had just narrowed down a city-wide search to just fifty buildings. And when he got back to headquarters, he would check which of these buildings were in use and which were 'allegedly' condemned like Ladders was - and then it would likely be no more than ten.

Bogo started chuckling again, rising in volume until his laughter filled the room.

"I've got you now, bastards," he called to the whiteboard, to the room in general. "You'll rule the day you ever _dared_ to set up a drug-dealing operation in _**my**_ city."

He fell back into his chair - and would have broken it if it had not been specially reinforced - still bellowing with self-satisfied laughter as he leaned back upon the seat. He picked up a marker pen and tossed it lazily towards the board, hitting the location of Ladders and Ladders square-on with the nib, splatting red ink all over the industrial complex of that area.

"Now - Ladders - what about you then?" Sitting forwards again, he pulled open another draw and took out the arson report Judy had written for the investigation at Ladders. Flicking through, he drank in the facts like water.

"Male fennec fox killed," he muttered as he read, "on knees when shot, execution probable. Fire started using incendiary device. Wood piled as flue. Clearly arson. Multiple arsonists suspected."

He set down the open file, resting his elbows on the table and placing his head on his hands in a state of deep thought.

"So. A warehouse full of illegal substances; a fennec fox turns up, wanting to buy drugs cheap and treating to turn them over to the police if they don't give him a discount. What to they do? They kill him. But before they do that the fennec tells them a friend of his holds incriminating evidence of their presence there, and they he will hand it over to the police if he doesn't come back - insurance to make sure the gang don't just kill him." He sat back, slowly.

"How would the gang react?" he pondered, putting himself in the mainframe of a gang boss. "Well, they can't risk being found out, yet they mustn't look like pushovers in fount of their clients. So, what do they do now? They kill him, relocate the drugs, and then torch the factory to burn away all traces of evidence. If they were efficient, all of this could've happened in just one night, and all that's left for Hopps and Wilde come morning, is a corps. There..." Bogo added, an uncharacteristically childish grin growing on his face, "that should keep the press happy."

Bogo reopened the third draw and poured himself another glass - though this time, it was a celebratory drink - he sipped at it, smiling, for it tasted all the better for the success. Upon the desk beside him, Bogo's phone buzzed. Setting down the glass he picked it up, read the name, and then pressed answer.

"Jack," Bogo called, his spirits high, "how goes the espionage?"

"It's most informative," crackled Jack Savage's voice from the transmitter, "thank you sir. I'm just calling in to report like you asked."

"And what have you to report?"

The voice of the rabbit cleared its throat, then started speaking as though reading from a list of notes. "At six minutes to dusk The Track - AKA officer Hopps - climbed the exterior steps to the roof of The Target's - AKA officer Wilde's - apartment. At five and four sixes to dusk, officer Hopps narrowly avoided being shot by officer Wilde-"

"He what? Agent, I thought I made my orders perfectly clear that you were to inform me if Nick-"

"No, sir, it was just a matter of unfortunate timing and even more unfortunate positioning; it was not intentional by any means. Then, at five and two eights, both officers Hopps and Wilde apologized to one another. At five minutes to dusk, officer Wilde started to recite his family history to officer Hopps. At one minute-"

"Savage," Bogo interrupted, and Jack knew just by the way he said his name this was going to be a sarcastic comment, "this is all _very_ interesting, but do you think-"

"Be patient, sir," Jack said in reply, "things get more interesting from here on in. As I was saying, at one minute to dusk officer Wilde serenaded officer Hopps with a romantic ballad-"

"- _what_ -"

"-and _at_ dusk... they kissed." Silence settled for a long moment, then Savage's voice came again. "- and, in so far as I could make out, it was their first time doing so." Bogo made no reply. It didn't really bother Jack if he was too stunned to comment or not - he just wanted to finish this report and get back to it - and so, he carried on.

" _Ahem_ \- at two minutes past dusk officer Wilde carried officer Hopps down from the roof. At three minutes past they started making out. They stopped this act around forty-seven seconds in and went on discuss each others overpowering odour and their subsequent need to use the washroom - officer Hopps offed officer Wilde the first shower - then, at-"

"Sorry, what?"

"Pardon, sir?"

"What did you say just then?"

"Hopps offered Wilde the first shower."

"No, just before that."

"They talked about their odour?"

"No, before that."

"They made out, sir?"

"Erm. We'll - we'll get to that."

"What then, they kissed?"

In the dark confines of the room above Nick's apartment, the line fell dead.

The stripped rabbit who was still sat upon the floor with a half-full notepad, a blunted pencil and a lot of pencil shavings beside him, sighed at Bogo's stunned silence. Jack Savage passed the phone from one ear to the other, muttering something along the lines of ' _it's just a kiss, get over it_ ' under his breath. "Sir, do you copy?" he said, bluntly. "Sir, do you respond? Sir?" He knew Bogo _could_ hear him, but he wasn't going to sit there doing nothing while the Chief gathered his thoughts back together. "Sir, I'm hanging up the phone now."

"Wait, Jack!"

" _Yes sir_."

"...this is going to take some explaining."

...

Judy purred softly in her sleep. Upon the padded sofa in the decent-sized living room of Nick's apartment, dressed only in Nick's black dressing gown which hung off her body loosely and with her face in a simple smile of angelic bliss - Nick had never seen a sight more adorable.

The fox gazed lovingly upon her, stood, as he was, just before the sleeping rabbit who had not stirred from slumber since settling into him a little earlier. He had been lucky then, and had managed to slip from beneath her without waking her up twenty minutes after - when he had not choice but to see to dinner. Dinner was ready now however, and, well, she couldn't eat in her sleep, could she?

Lowering himself down on his knees, his head came level with Judy's. Nick smiled as the rabbit's nose twitched at his scent as he rested his head on the couch, close to hers. He reached up with a delicate paw and stroked Judy upon the cheek with the back of a finger to wake her. Her smile grew to a beam, but she didn't wake, and then one of her paws came up to her face and her fingers wrapped softly around Nick's own.

Clutching at his melting heart with his free paw, Nick almost died of a cuteness-overload as his index finger became enwrapped in Judy's small, soft paw as she slept. The rabbit took in a long breath, then let it out slowly with a slight _"hmm, Nick"_ as she did so.

And then, Judy turned over. Rotating to face into the darkness of the padding, the rabbit dragged Nick's arm beneath her. The fox started at the sudden movement, moving with her so as not to wake her up, shifting up and onto the sofa as Judy unconsciously pulled his arm, finding himself suddenly flush against Judy's back with both his arms around her small, sleeping frame.

Nick sighed with mixed emotions as to his current situation. Yes, it was very nice ( _very, very nice_ ) to be up this close against Judy - but it wasn't exactly aiding his original goal of waking the slumberous bunny up!

He looked about at the so-called 'progress' - and immediately wished he hadn't. He wished he hadn't, because the way Judy was lying and how Nick was positioned against her - coupled with the looseness of the gown she was wearing and the lack of any other items of clothing beneath - meant that, looking down, Nick had a near unparalleled view of Judy's... erm ~

Heat started to build around his collar as he tried (and failed) to look away from the unfathomably pleasurable sight. He managed to glance away once, but then his eyes were drawn irrevocably downwards once again.

It wasn't that he didn't _like_ the view - it wasn't that at all - it was just it emasculated his dignity, to think he was peeping on his partner - romantic or no - while she slept.

Reaching out briskly with his free paw, Nick made to cover Judy's bosom with the gown she was wearing. One inch away from achieving that goal, however, Judy's paw shot out and gripped Nick's hand by the wrist.

"And what do you think you're doing with that hand, Mister Wilde?" Her eyes opened.

Nick was to flustered to notice the light-heated playfulness in her voice as he stuttered with an answer. "No, Judy, it's - _erm_ \- your... your bathrobe was sli - slipping and your - _erm-_ 'bust' was - _err_ -"

Judy sat up a little, her voice ringing with teasing accusation. "So, you thought you'd just have a quick _grope_ , did you?"

"No! No, I was just going to cover it for you!"

"Oh, I know what you were planning Nick," Judy breathed as she settled back down, "you _dirty fox_ , I know _exactly_ what you were planning."

And then - gently, and to Nick's everlasting amazement - Judy slowly lowered Nick's hand down, slipped it between her soft gown and her smooth fur, and pressed it unflinchingly upon her breasts.

Nick's breaths deepened as he held her. Judy whimpered ever so slightly, her head falling back against his chest as his touch stimulated that sensitive place on her body, applying just enough pressure to satisfy her, yet leaving her aching for more. Tenderly, Nick started to massage one breast in a slow circle; Judy's whimper turned to a soft moan as he applied slightly more pressure.

Suddenly, Judy turned around to face him to meet his lips for a passionate kiss. She moved quicker than Nick acted and so his hand remained stationary, catching in the fabric of one arm and sliding the loose-fitting robe away from her body to slip from her shoulder - revealing yet more of the rabbit's body to the room - and reiterating to Nick just _how_ naked Judy was underneath.

Nick turned himself over, and in another instant the fox was on top and the rabbit was on her back beneath. He pressed his lips against hers as he twitched the material off the rabbits other shoulder and revealed all of Judy's fount to him. He kissed the rabbit more deeply - more passionately - as he brought both his hands up to fondle, to caress and to massage that sensitive part of Judy's soft, silken body - enjoying both the way she felt beneath him, and the wonderful sounds of pleasure that escaped her lips.

...

"...and then," Jack continued, his voice still calm if a little strained, "after their in depth conversation about marriage, sex and children, officer Hopps fell asleep in officer Wilde's arms whilst lying upon him on the couch... clear?"

Bogo sat back in his chair, rubbing his forehead with a hoof. "And what are Wilde and Hopps doing now?" he said.

"Well, officer Hopps was sleeping the last I checked and officer Wilde was preparing stew," Jack replied, "but I've stopped listening in since to make my report."

The Chief grunted. "Let me hear them."

"Yes sir."

There was a moment of static, a click as the transmitter was adjusted, and then a new sound filled Bogo's ears.

" _Nnh, Nick - hhf - nnhhh - ah - arhh - nnnhhhn ~"_

"Switch it off," Bogo bellowed, standing, knocking his chair to the floor and smashing his hoof down upon the table, "switch it of now!"

...

" _Nnnhh, Nick - hhf._ "

"Boy, you rabbits always this vocal?"

" _Stop teasing, Nick,_ " Judy huffed in reply, " _I'm enjoying this too much for you to ~ harrhhh god._ "

Nick allowed things to carry on as they were for a moment longer - this was a wonderfully pleasant sensation for both of them after all - but then he leaned in close to her ear. "You know, Hopps my darlin', unless you really want to break this vow of abstinence after only one hour, we're gonna have to stop soon."

 _"arhh - I know Nick, I know. I was trying not to think about it but - aarh - but you're right, we - we will."_

"Well, I didn't wanna rush you, Whiskers, but-"

" _No._ No, it's good that you have. It's best if we just stop now, Nick."

Nick drew his paws softly back from that sensitive part of Judy's body - both missed the touch instantly - and then proceeded to slowly close his gown back over her again, covering her dignity as he traced a line of kisses up her fount - being careful to avoid pressing against her windpipe - to then, finally, plant his most loving of kisses against her lips.

"By the way, your carrots are done, Carrots."

"Good, I'm starving."

"Me too. You know, for a moment there, I was half tempted to devour _you_."

" _Hmm,_ " Judy giggled, lightly, looking up to Nick, her eyes sparkling. "You know, if you had tried to take things further just now - all the way, even - I wouldn't have even _thought_ to stop you."

"I know," he replied, coolly, "s'why I didn't."

"It was all your fault though, you know."

"Me, how was it my fault? You're the one who put my hand there, I would _never_ 've-"

"Yeah, but this dressing gown I'm wearing belongs to _you_ , and if it wasn't for _your_ gown which slipped~"

"I see," he said, deadpan, "you're blaming _me_ for the actions of inanimate objects now, are you?"

"Well you definitely can't blame _me_ for the fact you don't have anything 'rabbit' sized in this apartment of yours."

A smile creeped across Nick's face. "...we'll see about that." He stood and started off towards his bedroom.

" _Nick_ ," Judy grabbed Nick's arm as he moved away. The fox stopped and turned to her, a fond smile on his lips. "Nick, that... _that_ was the first time I've ever had anything like that done to me - ever - and I just wanted you to know, it felt... _wonderful_."

"Well," Nick said in reply, leaning close towards one of Judy's ears and whispering with a mischievous grin on his face. "If you think that felt 'wonderful', just you wait and see what it's like the night we get hitched!"

"Our _honeymoon_ , you mean?" She nuzzled close to his cheek, whispering in return, " _I can't wait."_ Nick chuckled and rolled his eyes as the rabbit started kissing him on the cheek, started reaching out to pull him back on top of her with her arms and legs. Nick knew exactly where this was going - he may have shrugged it off when Judy mentioned it, but it took every ounce of self-control Nick had not to take Judy's body in every way, shape and form he could on the couch just then - and, he knew, it would be impossible for him to back away from that same offer so soon after the last.

He was only mammal after all.

"Judy," he between the rabbits kisses, "The food will be burnt - the kitchen will catch fire - the flat will burn down - everyone will blame me - I'll get kicked out of the ZPD - my rent'll probably be put up - I won't be able to get house insurance again - my credit rating'll be destroyed _and_ your present too."

Judy pulled back from the kiss, crossing her arms over her chest and frowning with a playful pout that Nick should want to end to stop playing a game as fun as kissing. Nick chuckled. "Sit tight, Carrots," he said, roughing the fir on the top of Judy's head with a paw, instantly turning her playful frown into giggling as she tried to bat his hand away, "I'll be back soon."

Shaking his head and smiling, Nick walked softly away. Judy could do nothing but grin at the handsome fox - grinning, and remembering the wonderful sensations which just passed between them - thinking on what it might be like to go _further_ as she waited for her lover to return with her gift.


	24. Acrimonious Anchorage

A gentle tide lapped against the carbonized metal of Zootopia's port. A thick mist had settled upon the water - drifting down from the mountains after the heavy rainfall of the day. The mist had not extended to within the city however, but had settled heavily upon the water and shrouded all sight beyond a few feet on that most hydrous of surfaces.

A wave splashed up over the side of the port, sloshing against a few of the great many man-high creates which were piled atop one another, and soaking the already glistening concrete ground. A large crane was close by, its arm reaching out to the dock which extended out into the open waters, large enough for even the biggest of sips to take anchor there.

The only sign of life in this lonely dock was a small shack close to the edge of the harbor. The shack was old and slanting and looked as though it was held together by hope alone, leaning up against the strong brickwork of the discontinued boatbuilders yard.

A dim light glowed from within the old shack. The warm light faded as the door opened and a figure stepped out. The harbormaster - an elderly male dog with shaggy black fur which was thick and rugged - left the comparatively warm respite of his shack, carrying an old-fashioned oil lantern at arms length, level with his head, up close to his only eye which glinted red in the lantern light.

The harbormaster was old - his eye strained, his back bent slightly with years of servitude - but he had the deep-bound strength off all mammals who had spent a life of physical labor. He walked with the distinctive 'sailors swagger' - rocking from side to side constantly, like the to-and-fro of a swaying boat - as he wounded about the shipping container yard.

Shining his torch into all the shadows and labyrinthine pathways created between the stacks of crates, the harbormaster checked the empty yard for any intruders, squatters or other kinds of unwanted 'guest'.

He took out a match as he walked and struck it against the edge of one of the large crates. Lighting his pipe, the old dog came to the point where dock met port. He set down his lantern upon one of the smaller crates and then sat himself on a bollard to enjoy his smoke, mumbling the words to some old shanty under his breath, his voice cracked and low.

"My truelove she is beautiful, and my truelove she is young,  
Her eyes as bright as the stars at night, and silvery sounds her tongue.  
And silvery sounds her tongue, my boys, but while I sing this lay  
She is doing it grand in a distant land, ten thousand miles away.

"It was a dark and a dismal morn when last she left the strand.  
She bid good-by with a tear-dimmed eye, and waved her lily-white hand.  
And waved her lily-white hand, my boys, as the big ship left the bay.  
"Adieu," said she, "and remember me ten thousand miles away."

He sat there for a time, upon the bollard, with slow plumes of smoke rising from his wooden pipe. Then, something went _crack_ behind him. The hound stood sharply, one paw reaching for his lantern, the other to his pocket, feeling the reassuring coldness of that which lye within - an item all sailors worth their salt carry.

He squinted into the darkness, his lantern doing little to penetrate the gloom beyond a few feet. His concern mounding, he started to focus - really focus - on the atmosphere around him.

And it was then he noticed it.

Lantern held high, the harbormaster stepped out onto the dock. He didn't know what it was, but it sent his every nerve on edge. He sucked in a lungful of air, listened to the sounds of the water and felt the stillness that surrounded - it all spoke of trouble.

The dog had been a sailor for many years before old age had forced him to settle on solid ground - and he knew the calm before the storm when he felt it.

He had experienced something like this a few times before out on the open ocean - this hot, itchy calm; this claustrophobic stillness - but it had never been this bad. Looking upon the river, stood on the edge of the dock, the retired shiphand's thick eyebrows furrowed.

All of a sudden, the booming blare of a ship foghorn ripped through the silence. The sound started the hound back, his lantern flying form his grip and into the river with a hiss as it extinguished.

From the fog emerged the bow of a vast tanker-vessel. Its massive, iron fans cutting into the water, it ploughed on through the river, drifting to a stop in line with the dock. The iron craft which towered over the dock let out a second booming, earsplitting racket, and then fell silent.

The dog picked himself up off the floor, panting, stunned, beneath the massive bulk of the vast ship. Only the bow was visible - the ship so large and the fog so thick that the stern could not be seen.

Overshadowed by it's enormous bow, he gazed slowly up upon the two hundred thousand ton tanker, loaded with stacks of metal crates. It sat, looming over the port, in complete silence in the darkness for a moment and then, with a heavy _clank_ , the seven foot anchor, dropped.

...

"Now... which paw am I holding your present in?"

"Are you really doing this, Nick?"

"That I am, Hopps. Now, which one?

"Nick, I am not-"

"Okay, you need it explaining-"

" _Nooo_!"

"-so, held behind my back is a _very_ expensive gift. One of my paws hold the gift, the other holds nothing. -"

"-Nick-"

"-for you to win the prize you have to guess which paw the present is held in-"

"- _Nick!_ -"

"-and then, if you chose right, I give it to you. We clear now?"

"...I am not a child, Nick, I-"

"That's not an answer, Judy, it's left or right."

"Don't push it Nick."

"Which will it be," he sang, "which will it be?"

"I, don't, care. If you gonna give it than give it."

...they held a gaze for a moment - Judy's stern, Nick's playful - and then the two started talking simultaneously.

"C'mon, Hopps, it's just a bit of a joke."  
"Nick, Look, this may be fun for a-"

"It won't take a second and think of-"  
"-three year old, but it isn't for me. I'm-"

"-all the fun we'll have! I know you want-"  
"-not trying to be harsh or insensitive and I-"

"-to do it really; stop playing hard to get and-"  
"-do thank you for getting me a gift, but-"

"-open up your-"

" _Nick!_ " Judy called over the volume of the conversation, looking pleadingly up to him. "Nick, I'm tired, alright? I just want to eat and go to sleep. So much has harpooned today - _us_ for one thing - and it just want to eat and go to bed. Okay?"

"...the left one then?"

"Nick, can't you just _fu~..._ The left one."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Are you, _suurrrrre?_ "

" _Yes!_ "

"Because, it's not too late to change your-"

" _Damn it!_ Yes, alright, the right one."

"Nop! Guess again."

"...seriously?"

The fox's grin made Judy groan. Her shoulders slumped and her head fell into the paw she brought up to rub her forehead. Her ears fell, her spirits dulled and a number of 'choice' words escaped her lips in a mumble as she looked back to Nick - who was stood, grinning, with both his paws holding something behind his back.

...then the rabbit's paw shot out into the fox's gut; the fox spluttered, bent double; the rabbit reached around to Nick's back, picked the present from the fox's slackened grip and returned to her natural position, present in paw.

"Thank you," she said, honestly.

" _y-_ _ **y**_ -you're - you're welcome."

Checking behind herself, the rabbit sat down upon the sofa. Nick - having recovered from the blow - remained stood, speaking as though trying to make amends for something as Judy turned her gift (a foot wide and high, a few inches thick and made from a flimsy, possibly fabric, material) over and over in her paws.

"Hey _-erm-_ Judy, I hope you like it," he said, carefully, "and its definitely your size and color, but, it's just, be _-kinda-_ cautious when you open it. It's safe, just, don't take it to literally that _I_ bought it. It's, err - it's sort of a bit, you know..."

The rabbit gave him a sideways glance as she turned the present over and ran a small claw through the metallic foil wrappings, a questioning expression on her face.

"Well, it's like buying your mom red paints."

"And what's that superposed to mean?"

"I mean it's sort of like - _I don't know_ \- slutty?"

Her gaze shot to his face, her words lined with cautious, warning anger. "Nick... what the _fluff_ have you bought me?"

"No, _NO!_ I - I didn't mean _you_ would look slutty in it, it's just -" the fox fumbled in his words, trying all he could to convey what he meant without giving away what it was "-it's just, like, 'not the kind of thing a friend buys a friend'... usually."

The fox crossed his arms over his chest as Judy's gaze slowly returned back to the present. "Just... just open it," he muttered, his voice hot with concern, as he shifted unsurely from foot to foot.

Slitting another side of the gift she gently tore the metallic violet wrapping paper open, revealing a pile of folded cloth upon a cloths hook. She lifted the item by the cloths hanger and held it up to the light.

It was an oriental dressing gown - purple - with a multitude of patterned spirals, swirls and shapes all across it in a diverse range of reds, golds, greens, blues, yellows and browns.

Judy gazed at it - memorized by its colorful - yet not overcrowded - colors and pattern. She reached out a paw and touched the delicate violet material. It was light, thin, made from fine silk which shone - almost glowed - in the light.

"Nick," managed Judy, in a light breath, "it's~"

"I know! I know. I'm sorry."

"No, Nick, it beautiful."

Nick started slightly, hope returning to his eyes as Judy briskly got herself up of the couch, crossed the room and put her arms warmly around Nick's waist. A seance of pride at buying the right thing filled him and his expression softened at her next words.

"I love it."

Nick grinned - then grinned yet more as Judy kissed him in thanks - as he spoke, "You mean, you'll try it on?"

"Try it on? I'll wear it!" Turning excitedly back to the sofa, Judy quickly started undoing the knot of Nick's black gown she was wearing when something sparked in the back of her mind and she turned her head towards Nick with a suppressed grin. "You just gonna sit there?"

His eyes shooting wide, Nick turned away hurriedly. A few seconds passed. Judy's voice, "okay, you can look."

He turned and - not for the _last_ time that evening - Nick was struck by the sight. The color of the material complimented her eyes perfectly - just as Nick knew they would - and the thinness and lightness of the material pronounced the smooth curers, the trimness, the shapeliness of her body like nothing the fox had seen could.

"Wow. Judy," said Nick, quietly, honestly, "you are really something, you know that?" Tenderly, he stepped towards her, reached out and held her body. "You look amazing."

A coy smile spread on her face. "Thanks, Nick. It _feels_ amazing too. This silk~"

The rabbit trailed off as the fox's touch wrapped further around her body. From looking down at herself Judy looked up as the fox's muzzle neared hers - full of basic and simple need.

They kissed, deeply, but then the rabbit drew back with stars in her eyes and spoke, her paw resting upon Nick's as it slid slowly up and down across her waist.

"Nick, why - why'd you warn me before I opened it?"

"Well, it's just, you know... you wear it when you go to _bed_ and it's just not something you _buy_ for someone - most of the time. It's just, kinda, _seedy_ that I would buy something like that for you."

" _Awww_ , Nick," she breathed, " _always_ the gentlemammal."

"For you, Judy, I have to be." The kissing continued on for quite some time before the two mammals returned to their supper.

There meal was simple and somewhat without taste, but Nick and Judy both, were too preoccupied with the fact that they were dinning together as a 'couple' for the first time to really notice the food or - to some extent - making conversation... until Judy started on her 'carrot' gravy, that is.

They where both full with the excitement of all the things that could now pass between them in their new-found 'status'... but the hour was late and they had one more day of work before the weeks end so the two mammals decided to retire for an early night.

It had been a tiring day, with investigations, a city-chase, a lengthy report and then a suspected 'suicide' to deal with - not to mention the altogether draining recollection of the past by Nick - so the mammals decided that they should sleep now and leave 'developments' for their weekend off.

Nick offered Judy the master bed while he slept on the couch. Judy refused, dragged the fox into the master bedroom, ordered him to strip down into his boxers and to get into bed... and that she would be there to join his momentarily ~

~ and, so it came to pass that Judy was stood in the doorframe - wearing only the _thin_ oriental gown. The living room light was still on, and so her body was but a black silhouette to the fox. Nick watched in silence and in anticipation as Judy stretched out, slid her paw up the wall just outside the bedroom, and flicked off the light - switching her from a featureless figure to being clearly illuminated against the soft light of the moon without.

Nick did what he could to keep his breathing steady as the beautifully illuminated bunny slowly crossed the room, standing on the other side of the bed and folding down a corner of the sheets - he couldn't do anything about his ridiculous heartbeat though, or, that... _other_ problem his body was currently giving him.

Looking carefully at nothing by the side of the fox's bed which Nick was within - having something like a panic attack by the sound of it - Judy's paws slowly slipped down the fine smooth silk... and undid the knot which held the gown closed.

"Judy, what - what are you _do_ ing?"

Holding the thin layer of clothing about herself, the rabbit's gaze slowly rose to met the fox. Judy suppressed the devilish grin that tried to form, held back the giggling and the blushing and, instead, allowed a coy smile to form on her face, keeping her voice completely and utterly innocent as she said:

"Well, I can't ware it to bed. It'll get creased."

"Hey, err, why - why don't you let me grab one of my shirts to slip on?"

She shook her head, slightly; Nick gawped at the refusal.

"No, it's okay Nick. Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine just, like... _this_."

She dropped the silken gown. It fell to the floor without noise. In her bareness - her nudity - Judy looked at Nick with something like fearful trepidation - and who could blame her - she had just exposed, quite literally, _everything_ to the male of another species - how could she not be nervous?

For his part, Nick looked at Judy with nothing but stunned wonderment - unable, just, unable to think, move, anything. Struck absolutely - one hundred percent - by the vision before him.

Judy smiled softly - reassured by Nick's silent, gawping approval.

It was a scene, once seen, never to be unseen. It only took Judy a couple of seconds to slip into bed beside the fox and the petrifyingly beautiful sight was lost - and yet, even years after, _that_ sight and _that_ moment were as clear to him in memory as, they where in moment.

Judy started slipping into bed beside the fox. This knocked him from his paralysis and he blurted to her in a panic as she pulled the cover back over herself.

"Hopps! Hopps, I only have so much self control, and -" she moved yet closer, her body warming his and her scent filling his air with her arms wrapping around his chest; her face nuzzling against his neck "- a, a, and-"

"Goodnight, Sweetheart," was all she said as the fox continued to twitch and stutter agitatedly beside her.

Despite her excitement, Judy Hopps fell asleep easy. She had never felt _anything_ like she did then. Never in all her years did she ever think something so simple as lying next to a lover could just feel so damn _good_. It wasn't even sexual - just wonderfully intimate and full of warmth - just Nick's smooth red fur which was softer and felt even more pleasant against her fur than the gown he bought her did. It made Judy feel safer and more comforted then she could ever remember feeling before.

 _I finally did it,_ she thought as she drifted off. _I finally got the fox I love._

Judy's mind faded, slipping into perfectly blissful sleep, surrounded, and penetrated, by Nick's warmth and Nick's love, as a single, delicate, _uncertain_ red arm slipped slowly over her shoulders, across her arm and tucked in around her body and across her back.

 _Well Nick, you did it_ , he thought, quite unable to drift off, _don't ask me how the heck you pulled it off, but you did it._ He settled back in the bed as Judy sighed and tucked herself in a little closer to his body. _Honestly... I didn't think you had a chance in hell._

...

The old harbormaster remained crouched behind a wooden crate, looking upon the vast black tanker as three more workers dismounted.

After appearing from the mists and docking, the massive tanker had remained motionless in the darkness for quite a time. Then, five work mammals had been dropped off. They went together to the large crane which was soon in operation, lifting container after container onto the backs of one of a procession of trucks which appeared form no ware.

It was clear to the harbormaster watching from the concealment of the shadows, that something was up. Not only was the boat painted full black without markings or identification, not only were the workers keeping the area in complete darkness as though trying to keep the fact of their presence hidden, not only was there no sign that the proper authorities knew this was going on - but it all seamed just too organised, to practiced, for this to be a legal activity.

The black, shaggy dog watched, looking for whoever was in charge and, at last, he had spotted him.

He was a coyote, thin and lanky, whose face was in the shape of a constant smirch which spoke of an overprinted upbringing and a lack of decency or respect. The harbormaster disliked him on sight. He stood among two other people, practically bathing in their attention like a needy kid.

The shiphand, harbormaster, great black dog set towards the small gathering, his mind free of trepidation with his hand upon the reassuring coldness of that which lye within his pocket. "Who be you who comes to my port at such an 'our?"

The gathering turned to him, startled. There were only three of them that the one eyed dog could see - the others preoccupied with the crane or the ship. The coyote took a drag leisurely from his cigarette and stepped towards the dog with one hand in his pocket.

"Well my name's George. What's your name, old-timer?"

"Shuck," he shot back, "but that's Mister Black to you, boy."

He smiled, thinly. "Shuck Black - Mister Black - my employer is a wealthy man and letting us carry on with would we're doing would be of advantage to you. Otherwise, he's a powerful man too, and he could make life very difficult for you if you don't play along."

"You're not gonna get to me that way, people have tried bribes and threats before. I know your kind, basted, and I don't deal with lackeys."

Taking his fag out and examining it carefully, George replied. "I don't much like being talked too like that, Mister Black, so why don't you just leave us be?"

"Any number of reasons. Not least the fact your importing here is completely illegal."

"Look, mongrel, me and my palls are just here to make a delivery. Once that delivery is made we can all go home. No one has to get _hurt_."

"If anyone here gets hurt, boy, it'll be you. We clear?" The coyote shot him a dirty look. "Now, you just get on and tell me what you're hoarding, and I'll decide what I'll do with you."

The coyote looked at Shuck carefully for a moment, then spoke.

"Me and my friends here are carrying four-thousand twenty-foot metal shipping containers. Inside each of these we are carrying twenty-two tuns of a dry material for 'commercial sales'. We're loading them into these trucks - also friends of mine - and then we're deposing them at one of our 'sales deposits' scattered about the city. In ten minutes, we'd've emptied all our stock out into these trucks. In half an hour we'll be gone and far away from this city. You let us carry on, it'll be big cash for you. You try and stop us... it's concrete boots _all the way_ down."

He flicked his cigarette away with a dry chuckle. "So what's it to be, flea bag," he said, reaching into his trouser pocket. "You beat it, or _I_ beat _you_?"

Shuck Black approached rapidly, the coyote backed away, not expecting this move from the old dog and failing to mask his fear behind a vial of ease as the distance between them was closed. Shuck leaned close towards George's face, suddenly not looking quite so old as he did a moment before, looming up over him as his spoke in a voice gruff and dangerous. "Go sodemise yourself, basted."

Growling, the young coyote shoved Shuck back away form him and reached for the knuckle dusters his pocket. In a flash, however, Shuck had drawn the cold, 'reassuring weight' - his flick-knife - from his pocket and had grabbed the coyote by the neck, forcing him back with both strength and speed which didn't suit his age but very much suited his many years of physically strenuous servitude - pinning him against the crate and pressing the deadly-sharp blade against his throat. The others lurched for him, but he turned his head with a ripping growl, his black and rugged fur rising and his single red eye glinting as he pressed the knife edge slightly firmer against their _bosses_ throat.

"No," shouted the coyote, "don't. Go get the others!" The two ran from the sight, leaving them alone. The one eyed, black hound bared his barbed teeth at him.

"I said I knew your kind," he grunted. "You don't have the guts to take on _real_ conflict. You'd rather hide behind your guards, barking orders and hoping trouble doesn't come too close. Now," he continued, turning his single eye towards him, "what the hell kind of operation are you running here?"

"When my boss finds out whats happened, you're in for a heap of s-"

"Who is your boss, boy? What's his name?"

The coyote was reluctant, but the press of steel against his neck opened him up.

"His - his names Nyilas. Victor Nyilas, okay?"

"What are you shipping here?"

"It - it's just _stuff_! I-"

"I will gut you. I've done it before. Now TELL ME!"

" _garrrgh!_ Cannabis, Cocaine, Amphetamine, Ecstasy, you want some? Take your pick!"

"I've told you before, stop trying to bribe me. Now, where is your base of operations?"

"If - if I tell you that I'm as good as dead!"

"You're as good as dead now." Shuck paused in thought for a moment. He could here others close by. He didn't have long. "How about I give you a nice eye like mine." He turned his missing eye towards him. George cringed back from the sight.

"We... we have ten bases of operations in Zootopia. The first was Ladders and Ladders, but that's been compromised. The second is in the north of Precinct One, Erkin Enterprises. The third-"

Then he stopped. From behind, shouts arose as a number of various large mammals came running towards them armed with clubs and hammers. Shuck's reaction was instant - dropping the coyote and making to bolt.

Wanting revenge, George leaped for him, grabbing his arm and holding him in place. The black dog span and delivered a heavy punch to his gut. The coyote recovered quickly and went for his knuckleduster. He pulled it out, swung his hand back... and then yelped in pan as Shuck thrust his knife into his hand against the wall. The coyote froze. He was trapped against the wooden crate - his hand pinned to the wood by the knife stuck within it.

Black Shuck's barbed teeth grinned a fowl grin as he pulled the knife away and the coyotes body fell limp to the floor. He span on his heals as the mob approached and ran. He ran. He ran and he ran and he did not stop until he was far away.

...

"You okay, boss?" A large hog helped the coyote to his feet.

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," he lied, fearing showing his pain would jeopardize his authority. "Get in touch with Nyilas. Tell him we'll just have to carry on as planned. We still have time to unload half of your stock before the police arrive and that dog won't know where the ship is headed. We'll just have to accelerate our plan, move on to step **two** earlier than expected. No real harm can come of this."

"Very good sir. Would you like someone to look at that hand?"

George looked down at the bloody hole in his hand. He couldn't bend his fingers and he could't feel his arm - probably for the best. "Yeah, and get these crates moving, we've got about five minutes before the coppers get here." With that, he set off back towards the boat.

* * *

 **Wotcha! I know the ending of this chapter wanes a little, but I wanted this to be done by this chapter in preparation for the next and didn't have to time to do it properly.**

 **Anyway, what I wanted to say is that I would like some thoughts on what you thought of the character 'Shuck Black' - based on the old English myth 'Black Shuck', the ghostly black demon-dog who Arthur Conan Doyle based the 'Hound of the Baskervilles' from. He is important to the story - in one way or another, for better or worse, in the short term or the long - and so I would appreciate it if I could have some feedback as to what you thought of his character - your first impressions of what he's like as a person, if you will.**


	25. In Somnis Veritas

The sky was clear, the winds high and Judy Hopps was up on deck. She had a mop and bucket and had to wash the entire ship before nightfall - nightfall would soon be upon her, but she only had a little more deck to mop.

Around her, all the other mammals where busy doing much more important jobs, but she didn't mind, in fact, she was happy. Everyone had told her that a bunny would never make it on the open sea: it was far too much of a dangerous place.

There was also the fact the she was a woman. The gallon she was serving on - the Mary Rose - had over fifty crewmammals, but she was the only female. Besides, most captains didn't even allow women on board.

 _Ooh... the captain._

Just the thought of him made her head dizzy and her heart flutter.

 _He_ , was a fox, tall and hansom with fur the deepest of reds. Whenever she was lucky enough to hear his voice calling across the length of the boat, her ears would prick straight up, yearning to hear more, every syllable bringing her pleasure. If she should catch a glimpse at him, even just his tail leaving the room, her limbs would go limp and she would drop whatever she was holding. But whenever the chance arose for her to actually see him. _Well..._

She stopped mopping the wooden floor in a light daze as she fantasized about the captain. She knew he would never even second-glance a lowly crewmammal like herself, but that hadn't stopped her falling for him.

 _...whenever_ the chance arose for her to actually see him. she would nearly faint of the bliss. She found ecstasy in everything about him. She could see his smile from the other end of the ship on a bright day, his teeth glistening in the sun. His bushy red tail looked smooth, well brushed and silky yet warm and hopelessly soft. His swagger did things to her she could neither explain or understand. But over everything there was his eyes.

 _His_ eyes. Judy had never spent much time looking into his eyes as she was always too abashed to look directly at him and had never really spoken to him - but she knew they where one of his most amazing features.

That said, she found everything about _Captain Wilde_ pretty amazing: the fine red and gold silks he wore; the crimson, broad-rimmed hat with the large red feather in it; his high leather boots, satin trousers, the way he walked, the way he talked.

Her pulse quickening, she pulled the bucket of water off to one side near the edge of the galleon and started to mop there. She wasn't allowed onto the captain's deck where he spent nearly all his time - so her glimpse of him where rare and fleeting - but, if you where incredibly lucky, if you stood just 'here', and looked ~

 _Yes! Yes, oh yes, oh yes!_

There he was _-him-_ Captain Nicholas Wilde of the Mary Rose.

Oh how she _adored_ him.

He was stood gracefully, nobly, majestically by the edge of the captain's deck, looking out to sea with his hands clasped behind his back.

She had the perfect view of his profile: the blue sky behind him, the setting sun bathing his already magnificent features with a golden light.

As though planned, a wave hit against the side of the boat giving the Captain an even more ore-inspiring appearance as the spray of water flared up around him.

Judy dropped her mop at the sight. The Captain's ear twitched at the sound. The rabbit's breath halted at the movement and then, to her everlasting joy, he turned to her. His eyes locked with hers.

 _His_ eyes, that thousand yard stair of the greenest of emeralds. If only she a picture, that's all she wound need, a pitcher of her esteemed Captain Wilde and she could spend days just gazing into his face.

His _amazing_ eyes and they where looking at _her!_ She took full pleasure of the moment, knowing it would be over in but a second.

To her amazement, however, his gaze lingered. It was different from his usual gaze: as though he was only truly seeing her for the first time. She saw his brow furrow slightly - his expressions clearly defined by the setting sun glowing upon them - and then something even more amazing happened: he started to walk towards her.

His every step rising Judy's emotions higher and higher, he reached the edge of the captain's deck and turned to go backwards down the steep steps to where she stood.

He crossed the space between them. He stood right in fount of her. He looked sternly at the mop she had dropped on the floor. "Shirking ones duties?" he said. "That is a punishable offense."

She watched as the Captain bent over - finding herself closer to fainting then actually speaking - loosing all power of thought as this brought his head to within three inches of hers - far, far closer than she had ever, _ever_ been before.

He picked up the mop and then stood upright again. Judy felt as though she had died and gone to heaven as _his_ eyes, again, focused on her.

"...take the mop." He shoved the mop back into her hand; the effect was like being struck by lightning; his hands lingered on the mop she was again holding, before withdrawing.

He hadn't even touched _her_ , he had touched the thing she was _holding_ \- but it still sent a rocket of emotion up to her brain, leaving her blissfully dazed as she gazed at him.

The twitch of a smile grew on his otherwise stern and masterful face.

Oh how she loved that smile. _If only I could see his teeth._

Not fully realizing it, she reached out a shaking paw towards his face. Time slowed as the Captain looked down at her. She reached out to touch his face, stroke his mussel and then part his lips to reveal his glistening teeth to her.

Unfortunately... her paw only reached half way before she ran out of height.

The Captain quickly controlled the grin which tried to spread, looking sterner than before as he glanced over to the sun as it touched down upon the horizon. "Have you nearly finished mopping?" he asked.

She tried to say 'yes sir' - though, all she could managed was a whispered mumble - but he seamed to get the message.

"Good. There is a penalty if you don't clean everywhere, remember." A moment passed; as though as an after thought, Captain Wild added, "Crewmammal, I hereby add to your daily duties the washing of the Capstan's deck."

Judy gaped. _Oh wow!_ She was allowed onto the Captain's deck now? To clean the floor _with_ the Captain, seeing him _every day_ and closer up then she could ever have been before? A wide grin split across her face, her body nearly trembling with the excitement at the prospect.

Without another word, the captain then turned and gaitered away. But, as he passed the bucket of water Judy was mopping from, he kicked it over, and the water spilled out across the floor.

Without turning or even acknowledging what he did - Judy stood in stunned silence - Captain Wilde walked directly to the door of the Captain's cabin and opened it to step inside. He stopped just before stepping in the doorway, turning to the golden sunset as it disappeared into night. He turned to the startled crewmammal.

"Tishk, tishk. What did I tell you about getting _all_ the floors cleaned?"

Judy's mouth dropped open.

He leaned towards her, his voice dropping low with a dangerous edge. "Be at my cabin, one hour." She started trying to protest - _that wasn't right, he had only just gave her that duty, did he seriously expect her to get it done instantly?_

Captain Wilde silenced her before she started, but he did not do so actively - he merely grinned - his full grin, his teeth shining bright in the moonlight, sending a shock of excitement all through Judy's body as he spoke, "It's called a hustle, sweetheart." With that he stepped in and shut the door behind him, leaving a gaping Judy starring at where he just was.

Somehow... she didn't quite have it in her to be angry with him.

 _'Him',_ who she would now be seeing in _his_ cabin.

...

One hour later, Judy came to be stood outside the door to Captain Wilde's cabin. The hour had passed quickly for the rabbit who had returned to the crewmammals' cabin to change her cloths behind the small screen the other (male) mammals had put up for her so she could change in some little privacy.

Judy Hopps had thoroughly enjoyed the past two weeks out on the open sea, enjoying the new and challenging environment with every step of her journey, each day being new and special.

But tonight - she decided - would probably be the best yet. Even if the Captain merely spent twenty minutes shouting at her for not getting all the floors cleaned (despite the fact it was his fault - assumable to make an example of 'discipline' to the other cremates) - then it would still be more interaction with him than she had ever dared hope for.

Taking in a breath, Judy knocked on the door. A voice called from within: "Enter." A shiver of excitement ran down her spine just at hearing that voice.

Briskly, she opened the door and stepped inside. It was warm in here and well lit by oil lanterns. She looked about and quickly spotted the Captain in a loose, white nightshirt, sat at his desk and writing with a large quill on some papers.

She marched swiftly over to him and managed a smart salute which he ignored as he continued looking at the papers he was writing. "Just one minuet."

Her salute dropped. She looked around the room. It was well polished wood just like the rest of the ship. He had stern facing windows with green silk curtains, paintings of boats on the walls, a desk with several papers with a quill and globe of the world.

The floor was carpeted - a commodity unique to this room only. There was a large wardrobe, a sitting area, a dinning area a bed large bed (which made Judy ache to feel a _real_ mattress beneath her again - rather than that uncomfortable hammock) and a brass bathtub also.

Her spirits fell at seeing the bathtub a little as it was clearly full with hot, steaming water. If he was planning to have a bath soon then this, clearly, wouldn't take nearly as long as she had hopped.

Captain Wilde looked up from his papers for the first time, and grinned a little as he saw her starring at his brass bathtub. He looked down (acting as though he hadn't noticed), controlled his grin into a stern expression and cleared his throat.

Judy's head turned back sharply as the captain looked up, fixing a masterful gaze upon her.

"Crewmammal," he said, "you have shirked your duties. This is, indeed, a crime most serious." The rabbit opened her mouth to reply. The captain talked through her. "I will not tolerate insubordination on my vessel - whatever the excuse."

Waiting a few moments, she decided she was allowed to speak. "So... what will you do to me?"

"Well," he started in reply, "by all accounts, I should throw you off the ship." The rabbit looked crestfallen. The fox smiled, knowing she hadn't understood the full implications. "I mean... _while_ we're still out at sea." Now she understood: her frightened eyes shooting up to meet his in a panic.

"What?! B-b-but sir-"

"That's ' _Captain_ '."

"-Captain! I - I... you can't throw me off the ship!"

"Why not?" he shrugged, "'rouned here the only laws are _my_ laws, and what I say, goes." She stuttered, trying to make a response but only fumbling the the first syllable of a few small words. The fox watched in amusement for a few seconds - but keeping his grin on the inside - then spoke.

"But, I do understand that you _are_ a rabbit... and - a _female_ \- and that does mean you do disadvantages compared with the rest of us. It is for this reason, therefore, that I have decided to offer you an alternate punishment based on both your species, and your... _gender_ ~"

Her answer came instantly as she clutched at whatever straws her Captain gave her.

"And what's that?"

He jerked a thumb behind him. "...you have to bathe with the Captain."

...

It took a long time for that statement to sink in and, when it did, she didn't quite believe it. He seamed to be waiting for an answer, however, and so, Judy forced herself to make one.

"Okay..." she said, then continued, shifting from foot to foot in anticipation with her voice starting to rise in pitch slightly. "Yeah, o-okay! B-bathe with the captain, sure!"

The fox stood then - and Judy started back suddenly - because the lose-fitting nightshirt was the _only_ thing he was wearing. But, not for much longer it appeared, as he undid the first of only four toggles which kept the white shirt on his russet body.

As the last was undone - as Captain Wilde slipped it off his shoulders, dropping it to the floor, gazing upon her with a _more_ than ample frame ( _'ample', in several ways_ ) - she felt she should make a start herself - she didn't want to miss _this_ , after all - and so she started undoing the buttons on her own shirt, only to be interrupted.

"No," said Wilde, stopping her instantly. "Let me."

Without further comment, he crossed the room and stood, naked, directly before her, reaching out a paw towards her. Judy's eyes - which had been gaping wide for some time now - softly fell closed as one of his large, dark hands reached out and touched her face. She let out a soft sigh as his other hand touched her face - caressing the fur on her cheeks, slipping down to her neck, rubbing across her shoulders, clutching the material of her shirt by the collar and then...

Judy's eyes shot open again as the fox tore the shirt off her. The rabbit gasped at the exposure to the air - and to Wilde - her mind suddenly racing the the profound and incredible knowledge... this really was happening.

Unabashed as he moved closer towards her, his strong, red hands ran down the sides of her body which tremulated in pleasure at his touch. Reaching down yet further so both his hands came level with the ends of her trouser legs, his black claws extended and dug into the material. Expecting pain, Judy flinched - yet no pain came. She looked back again as his claws came ripping up the full length of her trousers, ripping them in twine, making them fall to the floor in a pile of rags second later.

Leaving nothing _-nothing-_ standing in the way of Nick's body... and hers.

"Get in the bath," he said; Judy obeyed instantly. And she didn't just obey because it was and order, and she didn't obey because the alternative was being thrown in the sea and she didn't obey because she felt she had no other options.

She obeyed... because there was nothing on this earth she wanted more, than what Nick was currently offering.

Without delay, Judy stepped into the steaming and slightly scented water of the bath and her body was encased in the soft heat. It it filled her her with such warmth as she had not known since leaving port several weeks past; it felt so wonderful to be in the water that she almost forgot where she was - who was in the room with her, walking towards her, stepping in...

Judy could only watch, speechless, as the fox and her Captain joined her in the soft heat, leaning casually back against one end of the brass bathtub.

His elbows propped up either side of him on the edge of the bath - making no attempt to cover himself as Judy had unconsciously done - he regarded her with a simple, level smirch as he drank in the sight of her.

"So," he said after a long pause... "you got a name?"

"It's Judy. Judy Hopps, Captain."

He waved a paw dismissively towards her. "Nick will do - for now at least."

"Wow," she breathed in disbelief, "you'd really let me call you by your - your _first_ name?"

He replied nonchalantly, examining his nails as he said, "I tend to drop the 'captain' part when I'm naked in the tub with someone.

Judy snorted, a grin setting across her mouth at the reiterated fact of their current situation. Not lowering his paw, Nick's head turned sideways with a quizzical smile as he asked, "you've been wanting this for a long time, haven't you?"

She grinned, nervously. "Erm... _yeah_. Yeah, I have... _Nick_."

He shifted, sitting up slightly and guesting for her to come closer, his needy eyes aglow as he spoke. "Well then, miss Hopps, I think you ought to come over here and join me."

"Now now, Captain," she said, playfully, "you didn't say anything about _joining_ you in the punishment."

"No," he replied, vaguely, "but that don't mean you don't _want_ to."

Judy's grin slowly fell as she came to realize: he was right. He was absolutely right. She wanted this; she wanted this like nothing she had wanted before. _God_ , she wanted him - need him - his body - against her - inside ~

Unable to control herself a second longer, the rabbit rushed for him. All thoughts of status and rank, left her; the compulsion to restrain herself and her desires because _he was Captain and would never want a lowly crewmammal_ fled; the worry and concern that there was no chance of her and him ever doing anything even vaguely intimate together disappeared.

All where banished. Banished by the simple fact: he wanted this too.

Her arms came hungrily around her Captain's neck as her lips met his. He returned with full desire and his strong arms and firm hands came brushing up and down the fur of Judy's sides, making her shiver in excitement and pleasure.

Forcing the kiss to turn deeper - not that Judy minded - the fox then shifted beneath her, steadily but surely switching places with Judy so he was on top and she was beneath without allowing the passionate kiss to end.

He leaned into the kiss, his hands starting to touch and fondle her body as she moaned in bliss against him - a moan, which was lost to the fox's mouth as his tongue slipped further within her.

Leaning all of his weight into her - a good weight, which Judy accepted and appreciated as it heightened the intimacy between them - Captain Wilde's paw slipped down low, rubbing against her leg; moving up to press her inner thy, close - getting closer - to her 'apex'.

Judy's arms came firmer around his chest - wanting, and fully ready for what was to come - but then, suddenly and from nowhere, a great sound like some kind of blaring trombone came ripping through her reality. Captain Wilde didn't appear to notice the sound as his hands just started to touch upon her lower intimate airea.

Moaning in pleasure, the rabbit, fearing what the notice might be, tried to ignore it as the bliss at the touch filled her body and soul, but then - with a final ripping blare - the ship collapsed around her, fading and disintegrating into the inner confines of a bedroom.

...

Alone in the early morning light, Judy's eyes opened. Her vision and concentration still fuzzy, she turned her head sharply to look upon the contraption which had done the waking, as the radio continued playing...

"~Non, rien de rien, non, je ne regrette rien~"

...before slapping her paw down upon the radio-alarm's snooze button.

At that moment, she was too close to a sleeping state to wounder why her small, digital clock had decided to play the radio to wake her up rather than the _'beep beep beep'_ it usually played for an alarm - or to wounder why her bed was now in a different position and in a room about a dozen times the size it used to be.

With a grumble she huffed her head back down on the pillow, lying close to the edge of the bed and facing the room - failing to notice anything amiss behind her.

 _Oh brother, another amazing dream about Nick I'm gonna have to force myself to forget. Stupid alarm, it was getting so 'interesting' too. Why does stuff like this have to happen? Arrugh... I_ wish _I could just turn over in bed and see... see ~_

At thinking 'turn over in bed', Judy had actually done so... and was now starring, gobsmacked, into the back of the head, of a blissfully sleeping, _red_ fox.

 _Captain W- no... Nick?_

Her mouth fell open. She blinked a few times. She shut her eyes, opened them again; the fox was still their.

 _Well when the hell did this happen? Don't tell me that wasn't a dream.  
Of course it was a dream - you've never even been on a boat.  
But how did Nick get... 'here'?_

Still not sure if she was dreaming, she reached out a paw and laid on Nick's shoulder. It was both warm and soft, an unfortunate combination as it brought Judy's mind right back to the moment Captain Wild had lain atop her right before the alarm went of... and all the _emotions_ which came with it.

 _Sweet cheese and crackers Judy, you have to forget that dream. Now!_

She clutched his shoulder a little firmer as panic was setting in within her. At this, however, she appeared to stir the fox from his slumber as he groaned.

His eyes still shut, Nick turned over in the bed; his nose came touching Judy's own.

Not 'within inches' but 'touching' her own sensitive nose. His own nose twitched at her her sent. His brow furred as his mind returned from wherever it goes when you slept. Then, his eyes cracked open.

And - as Judy's mouth, again, fell open - Nicholas Wilde spread one of the biggest smiles Judy had ever seen.

"Morning, beautiful."

"Oh my God!"

"I love you too."

" _ooh_ , Nick!" Something went _click_ in Judy's mind... and then her current situation suddenly dawned upon her. "I - I'm n - naked!" Her eyes darted to the fox. "Nick, you're naked!" She bit down on her finger, her voice rising high in pitch in excited confinement. "We're both - naked - and - in bed - and - _oh_!"

Flustered, Judy clutched all the covers she could over her body, her legs kicking involuntarily in the panic, hitting Nick square in the chest three times before slipping off the bed and landing beneath the sheets in a tangled mess on the floor.

Listening with vague and sleepy interest to the muffled cries of his partner, Nick leaned back in bead.

 _Today,_ he thought, _is going to be a very, long, day..._

* * *

 **Radio alarm: 'Non, rien de rien' was influenced by Christopher Nolan's 'Inception'.**


	26. Dawn of a New Day

'In Somnis Veritas' - Latin phrase. Meaning: 'In Dreams there is Truth'.

...

The clouds had all but vanished, leaving only a spotless, blue morning sky which offered no hindrance to the beams of warm sunlight which shone down upon earth, drying what little evidence of last nights storm remained, just as the clouds themselves had done over night.

A warm wind blue its way softly through Zootopia's streets - the concrete pavements of which gleamed gold-like in the early sun - as the first of the early-morning risers set about their daily duties.

The duties of these early risers went from great to small, from high to low, from noble... to nefarious. Dealers and salesmen sparsely populated the streets, many workers for pet insurance companies or partners in the rawhide industry. But one of them - a male armadillo - had a job that was far less than noble.

The male armadillo which stepped out from the darkness of a black of flats looked both ways before shutting the door and locking it, slipping the key into his pocket. He slipped his other hand into his pocket as he walked, checking to be sure the packet of white powder was as it should be - it was - and he made his way down the street.

Leaving the warm wind and golden glow of the main streets, he slipped into the back street closest to the multistory apartment block he departed from. Here, in the darkness, the air was chill and damp. Droplets of moistness dripped wetly down from overhanging roof tiles and - among the shadows - a stranger loomed.

He stepped into the alleyway, past the figure hidden in the shadows, turned a corner and a shape looming up behind him. Sensing a presence, he started to turn but all of a sudden two paws were upon him - to large and very storing paws. One was holding his arm in a lock behind him, the other, holding the back of his neck tight, searing him effortlessly at a rush as he was forced back up the empty street.

He started to call out - shout for help - but just as he did so the weight on his neck increased and he was pulled up a small staircase to a door, stumbling up the steps in a panic, his head forced level with the lock on the door he had come out of but seconds earlier.

He struggled for a moment, then spoke, "Wha' - what do you want form me?" There was a growl form behind him - the kind of growl you didn't ask questions - and his head was thrust a second time against the wooden door.

"Okay, okay! I'll open it." Taking his key out, he fumbled with the lock before it clicked open and the force behind him was there again - relentless. It pushed him without him ever having the chance to stop, get away or see behind him. It pushed him on and up to a door on the second floor.

In no more than thirty seconds, he had been captured, abducted, dragged up two staircases and to a door. He never had the chance to call out for help the act was so quick - not to mention actually getting away - and, when they arrived at the door, his head was, again, forced level with the lock.

"I, I don't have the key!" There was that growl again, but it seamed to believe him this time as the strong paws holding him simply retracted, pulled the armadillo up, then smashed him with full-force into the door - the week locks of which gave away instantly - and the armadillo was sent, rolling to the floor, as an albino white wolf dove into the room behind him, his razor-black claws extended and ready, his pale, slitted eyes sweeping the room for his target.

...

The wolf's eyebrows slowly lowered in thought. His paws dropped to his side and he returned to a natural stance. The room - apart from the armadillo who was cowering on the floor - was empty.

The wolf looked about at the room. He stepped out and re-read the number on the door. This was definitely the right place, so, where was the rabbit? Where was she? Where... was~

...

Judy Hopps giggled as she called out to Nick, still struggling beneath the sheets of the bed which she had become tangled in after slipping out and onto the floor. " _Niiick,"_ she called, " _I'm stuck!"_

The fox chuckled, leaning forwards with a paw out stretched towards Judy's hand - which was all of the rabbit he could see - as he teased, "Need my help again, Hopps? Wherever would you be without _... -meee!-_ " his last word was a cry of surprise as Judy's paw - rather than hold onto Nick while she stood herself up - tugged upon Nick's own paw with such sudden force, Nick was tugged off the bed likewise.

Dazed as he tried to figure out what just happened, Nick sat up to stand. Behind him, a pile of duvet rose and threw its small but strong arms about his neck and pulled him back, flat upon the ground.

"Hey, let me up," he chuckled as he tried to pull himself away. Judy re-doubled her grip on his body. Nick reached quickly around her body, traced up her arm and pinched the nerve in her elbow. The rabbit giggled as her hold on his was broken by reflex, and the fox took this opportunity and made to rise quickly. Quicker, the shape of Judy's legs came up from the sheets and hooked around Nick's waist. She twisted her body around, flipped Nick onto his side and threw she sheets up over both of them as he fell on the floor.

Both laughing, giggling and growling playfully, each tussled with the other in the soft heat beneath the sheets, playing a game of who could stand up first. Judy would stand, only to be thrown back down by the weight of Nick upon her. Nick would stand, only to have his knees kicked form beneath him before falling back to the floor.

Judy leaping onto Nick again, they rolled. They rolled fast across the floor. They covered the entire floor space of Nick's carpeted bedroom and crashed against the sideboard, knocking over a lamp by the sound of it but both failing to care.

Both grinning, Judy pushed her hand against Nick's face to hold him down and Nick's hand pressed up against Judy's to force her off. They focused entirely on their playing as they each tried and foiled their and their partners attempts to stand. When all of a sudden, they stopped. One second they were both playing an innocent, childish game... the next ~

Both naked - but for Nick's boxers - the rabbit's and the fox's eyes met. With Nick lying on his back on the floor, Judy directly above him looking down, their heads level, there gaze upon one another deep - Nick's hands slowly wrapped around Judy's body, feeling her warmth and her smoothness both under his hands and against his bare chest.

Judy shivered, just a little, as his scent and his warmth filled her, and as the rough pads of his tender hands slowly ran up and down her back. She closed her eyes. Their lips met.

The kiss was slow and gentle, sweet and tender... to start with, but then Nick shifted beneath her, flipped the rabbit onto her back, pinned her hands above her head with one arm and held her face - her mouth - facing his with the other.

" _Nick_ ," said Judy as she grinned widely.

His only reply was to make deep growl from the back of his throat - a wonderfully animalistic sound which sent a shiver of something which really wasn't fear down Judy's body - as he lent further forwards into the her, pinning Judy beneath his arm, grinning down while she grinned up before their lips came crashing together again.

The kiss was deep from the offset, but it was made yet more so by the rabbit as she put her arms about Nick's neck. Their tongues came into the mix, pushing with equal intensity into Judy's mouth as it did into Nick's. But then the five minute snooze-time on Nick's radio-alarm ended, and it kicked back into life with:

 _"_ _Because she had kisses sweeter than wine. She had - mm, mmmm - kisses sweeter than wine_ _."_

Nick reached back over and silenced the device, but the damage was done and, when he returned, he could already see Judy's mind frame shifting back into getting ready for work.

Neither could blame the other for this, and so Nick reached out a paw to Judy as she lay upon the floor. This time, Judy took it and allowed Nick to lead her back to the bed, holding the sheet against her chest as she walked.

"You get a couple more minutes in bed, Hopps," he said as he straightened the sheets over her, "I'll get dressed, make you some breakfast, and you can change in privacy while I'm out of the room."

"Thank, Nick," she said, beaming up at fox she once thought she could only dream of having for herself. "Did you sleep well?"

"Fine. Just fine, thanks you Hopps," he said, reaching out a paw, stroking it against Judy's shoulder, remembering the incredible pleasure caused to him by her presence beside him that night - the warmth, the softness, the affection, the _trust_ he felt from her. "Still, I don't have to ask you that. By the way your legs were twitching, I'd say you must've been having some pretty _Wilde_ dreams."

" _Errh-!?"_

Nick had made the comment in jest, but reacted to just how _panicked_ Judy looked at the implication and decided, maybe, there was more truth in it then he first realized... "Boy, what were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing!"

The fox grinned - working it out for himself as easily as if she had just told him - as he smiled, turned and slipped out of bed.

Judy watched - a little disjointedness; a little revealed - that he still wore his boxers from the night before as he opened up his wardrobe and took out his ZPD uniform - blue shirt, trousers, tie, et cetera - glancing to Judy often with a fond smile as she watched.

Judy watched with fascination as he dressed - glancing away only as he changed his boxers (not because she was uncomfortable with the sight, as such, but because she feared just glimpsing _it_ would be enough for her to lose control of herself entirely - as it stood, she was barely holding on by a thread).

But, as the fox dressed, it slowly became easier and easier, until every inch - every millimeter - of his body was the epitome of perfection. The knot of his tie was expertly tied, faultless; his shirt hem tucked perfectly, straight and creaseless; his collar was exact, symmetrical and neat. He looked amazing, the rabbit thought, but... he didn't quite look, 'Nick'.

She assumed this sudden change of dress-code was on her account - trying to make a good impression or something - but just as she opened her mouth to tell he he didn't have to worry and that she preferred (slash, was sexually attracted) to his lop-sided, casual charm, he half turned to her, smirching as his hands returned to his collar and flicked one corner up, untucked his shirt half an inch and twisted it slightly off-center, and - tugging at it, turning it askew - loosened his tie so it was 'just' below regulation standard.

Shaking her head fondly, the rabbit giggled. "You dumb fox," she said, "are you seriously telling me you spend more time on making yourself look scruffy then you would if you wanted to look neat?"

"Scruffy, me?" he said, jokingly laying on hand across his heat with a look of pain on his face, "I never look scruffy, Hopps. Just... lived in."

"So you're telling me," Judy chuckled in disbelieving, "that 'You', Nicholas Wilde, the fox who is renowned through the ZPD as the casual, easy-going cop who shirks off paper work, who gets through the day on nothing but good luck and witty quips alone, who slacks off as many duties as you can get away with, and who invariably takes a nap in the storage room just about every Monday afternoon - gets up earlier in the morning and puts more care and attention into his appearance then 'Me', Judy Hopps, the famed 'stickler' of the ZPD."

"Oh I wouldn't call you a stickler," Nick said honestly, leaning back close to Judy and putting a kiss on her forehead. "You just set a good example to everyone - just like you set an example of a good life to me. I can _more_ than understand why the Mayor and Bogo would want to advertise you as the model - perfect - officer."

"But still," she said quietly, blushing at his charm, "you can reach perfection with less effort!"

"I do look perfect," he said in wry reply, "just my own special _brand_ of perfect."

Slowly, her eyes started tracing deliriously down his lean, fox-body. "Your right," she said, her voice thick with devious hunger, "you do look perfect." She bit down on her lower lip; and odd little groan escaped her from the back of her throat. "Absolutely perfect, and quite," she finished heavily, " _irresistible._ "

"Judy?" Nick said, a tone of concern in his voice. "Judy, you're making me feel like a piece of meat."

"And what a piece of meat you are," Judy said, on paw slipping unconsciously beneath the sheets to do Nick could only dream what, her eyes still drinking in the sight of him.

"Wow," Nick said, vaguely, "if I walked over there right now, you'd have me in a second, wouldn't you?"

"U-huh," she said, "as though we were jackrabbits at high noon: I'd have you."

Heat building quickly around his collar, Nick took an unsteady step towards the rabbit. He knew he should be walking away but he body just wasn't listening to him anymore.

He had torn himself away from Judy's - by all accounts - irresistible body several times since they first embraced outside on the roof - and every one of them took more self-control then Nick ever thought he had.

This - however - this was too much. Far too much, and it drove Nick's desire, insane.

It was carnal - yes - it was animalistic and uncivilized - yes - it was disrespectful to the wishes of Judy's parents, and may, someday, make relations with them difficult - yes... but that didn't make it any easier for him to fight the incredible, maddening desire to take Judy's body, to feel her pressing up against him, to know - at long last - to know Judy and Judy's body in that special, sensual way.

" _ooh yeah, Nick,_ " she breathed as he came ever closer, "I may not have seen all that much of you yesterday, but I remember _exactly_ what I saw when the bed-sheets slipped round my place, and _'boy'_ was it good."

Nick came and stood right up beside the bed, next to Judy, her... 'free' hand reaching up and slowly edging the sheaths down off her body. The fox hated himself for what he did next for the rest of his life. But he did it all the same as, quite simply, it had to be done...

Lurching forwards, he gave Judy a light kiss on the forehead then practically ran from the room, shouting over his shoulder as he said, "Okay-Judy-I'm-gonna-get-some-food-on-so-you-get-yourself-dressed-and-we'll-leave-right-after-we've-eaten!"

The door banged behind him. Judy blinked.

"...Nick?"

The door opened, cautiously. "Yes, Judy?"

"Is my carrot pen in there?"

"Yes...?"

"Could you throw it in here?"

Nick opened his mouth as though to ask why, but then quickly through better of it and chucked it inside with the same feeling of self-preservation as a zoo-keeper has when throwing raw meet to the lions, before shutting the door briskly behind him a second time.

Judy sat back in the bad as the door closed. She looked down at herself. She looked at her pen. She picked it up.

...

"We're in, okay?" the dealer said, carefully, "so, I guess I'll just be..." He stood, and the wolf shot him a very harsh look. "...staying, here, a little longer," the dealer finished pathetically, sitting down upon the bed.

The albino creature standing stock still for a moment longer, he did what he had been told (what what they had made _damn_ sure he wouldn't forget) to do if ever something went amiss. Pulling out his phone, he tapped in the code which would make the moving image of 'Him' appear.

It ring once and then was answered, His face appearing on the screen with a smile as he said, "Wulf, is it done?" The wolf shook his head. 'He' frowned. "What? What do you mean? You haven't been jeopardized, have you?"

The wolf started to shake his head, but then - struck with a thought - he stopped himself and turned the phone so that the armadillo drug dealer came into view.

"I see," was all the face on the screen said for a long while, and then, "this is how you gained access to the building, yes?" The wolf grunted in affirmation. "...he is expendable," he said, quite calmly, "this will not impedes us further. I will arrange another meeting between you and this rabbit and call you when I know where you can find her. This time - Wulf - you will not fail me."

The wolf listened to the face on the screen - focusing hard on processing the words which would become but a garbled jumble of sound if he didn't pay full attention - and then turned the phone so he and the dealer were in shot, then jerked his head towards him with an eyebrow raised in a question.

'His' head turned as he rearguard the dealer for a moment, then he looked back to the wolf, his voice completely impassive as he said, "he can't know of you - or me. Kill him."

" _-hey, wait!-"_

"And Wulf," He said, regardless of the dealers words, "it cannot look like murder, not at this pinnacle stage. If you get found out, I'm cutting all ties from you. We are too close to achieving our goal for you to destroy everything now. No screw-ups, understand?"

The wolf nodded without expression. The face on the screen grimacing, He reached out and his face froze as he pressed the 'end call' button. Slowly, the wolf turned his head; his pale eyes focused on the frightened eyes of the armadillo drug-dealer.

"Hey... _hey_ pall," he started, nervously, backing away "you - you want cash? I got lots of cash." The wolf seemed unfazed. He tried again, "I - err - I got drugs too! You want some drugs?" He reached into a pocket, pulled a large packet of white powder out and held it out to the wolf.

The wolf's pale eyes shifted down to look upon the packet. Slowly, his razor-clawed hand reached out.

"Yeah... yeah you take it. You take all of it."

Clutching his hand around the packet, the wolf pulled his hand back.

"Your boss - whoever he is - he doesn't have to know a thing!" Briskly, he made for the exit, stepped into the doorway and passed the fox. Without looking up from the packet a single, white arm shot out and clutched onto the armadillos shoulder with an iron grip.

Despite the combers om nature of the armadillo species, the wolf effortlessly threw him back into the room, swinging the door shut with his foot as his focus rose from the packet of white powder to the dealer.

The armadillo raised his fists - he was a crook after all, and knew when the fist was the only way out - and delivered a powerful right-hook to his chest. The wolf flinched, but a flinch is all it was. The dealer tried three more times and then, the wolf simply became angry.

He drew his arm back across his shoulder, and then sweeped the back of his fist across the armadillo's face. His hand was a blur and moved with the same forwards momentum of a truck, and the armadillo was knocked back in a daze, falling back on the bed, hitting his head on the sideboard and stunned form the impact.

The white wolf advanced. Holding the packet in one paw, he raised the other and slit the clear plastic with a signal, black claw as he came looming up over the stunned body of the dealer.

Coming round - shaking himself into awareness - the armadillo started to mutter as the wolf's strong arm reached out to his mouth - tried to pull back as his impossibly strong fingers forced his jaw open - tried to scream out, kick, or punch at the wolf as his other paw thrust the packet into his mouth.

He tried to spit, but both the foxes paw came clamping down on the armadillo's mouth, holding it shut, his pale eyes void of emotion as the dealer was forced to swallow, sealing his own fate.

The moment he heard the gulp - the pathetic, whimpering cough - the white wolf pulled back from the dealers mouth. The wolf stared at the retching body as it convulsed on the bed - his interested captivated utterly by death like it always was - watching, stimulated (and more than a little aroused) as he watched his last breaths choke from him.

Blood started seeping out from the dealers nose and mouth. The blood entered into his eyes as his vision blurred. His heart was beating hopelessly fast in his chest and his breaths were coming and going like a steam train and full speed. Yet - for all his efforts - it was as though he was suffocating.

Trying to clear his lungs from the thick coat of hallucinogenic which now covered them, the drug dealer coughed once more in a vain effort to free his airway - rewarded, only, with spewing forth a mouthful of blood which felt as though it was ripped up from his body, torn out of him, just as his lungs felt as though they were being shredded by glass within him.

The white wolf watched on as the convulsions of the armadillo's body started to decrease. With once last shudder, one last gasp of wretched breath, once last sickening moan which made the wolf glad to be alive - the armadillo's bloodied and broken body slipped off the bed and landed with a lifeless thump on the floor.

He savored the sight a moment longer, then turned, shutting the door behind him, which sealed with a click as the lock automatically slid into place.

He paced off down the corridor - unobserved, unheard by any - as he made his way to the exit of the building. This armadillo wasn't the target he had been set upon - and he wasn't nearly as much fun as a rabbit - but the wolf was pleased with the day as it had gone so far, and smiled pleasantly as he made his way out...

Out into the spotless, blue morning sky; into the warm wind which blue softly through the gold-like pavements which gleamed in the sun, slipping effortlessly back into the shows of the untraveled places of the city and utterly free from pain, disgusted or guilt.


	27. Morning, Beautiful

Nick Wilde, breakfast in paw, pressed a large red ear apprehensively to his bedroom door. He heard nothing for a few moments, then a soft, stifled moan, or possibly a groan. Either way, it was definitely Judy.

Lifting his head from the door and gazing at it steady, Nick took in a long breath before letting it out slowly, as Judy moan came again from behind the door.

As he stood there, the red fox knew, Judy could be doing any number of things, and he knew he was probably over thinking what he was hearing and that there could be any number of reasons for the sounds she was making... but, one in particular, was stuck firmly onto the forefront of Nick's mind.

And it wasn't as though it was unjustified after all. There were only so many uses the fox could think up for a carrot-shaped device.

 _Damn thing seems to have no end of uses. Oh boy... I'll never be able to look at that thing the same way again._

He looked down into his left paw which held a tray of steaming, but rapidly cooling, food; looked across to his old, age-yellowed tumble dryer as the sequence ended and looked back up to the door with a fate unknown within. He steeled himself and then, raising a paw, Nick tapped softly upon the firm, wooden door with a claw.

"Yes?" came Judy's voice in reply, instantly, not strained, not panicked, her normal, everyday voice.

"Erm... Carrots?" he started nervously, "I- I have your breakfast."

"Oh, thanks Nick!" she called back. "Could you bring it in for me, or would you rather I ate at the table?"

"No... no, eat in bed if you want, I'm fine with that. I just wanted to check if I could come in."

"Of course you can come in Nick," she called back, "you don't have to ask. But, thanks for the warning all the same."

"...all - alright then."

Nick winced as he turned the metal, 'L-shape' door handle, closing his eyes in trepidation as he slid it soundlessly open across the carpeted floor. He stepped in, felt the softness of the ground beneath his padded feet, and opened one eye ever so slightly. Then, he started in shock at what he saw.

"Hey Nick." Judy greeted, glancing up to Nick with with her beaming, beautiful smile before looking back to the notepad she was holding and writing something else down with her carrot pen.

"Urrgh, Judy," Nick asked, frozen, "wha - what are you doing?"

"Oh." She replied vaguely, adding a full-stop to the end of the page with a flourish and flipping the notepad shut. "Just making some quick notes to the report for Bogo. I only managed to make half a report yesterday before I- well, erm... never mind. Fact is, he'll probably want this soon, and we need to let him know what's been going on anyway.

"But I heard... grunting!"

"I was thinking Nick, trying to remember as much detail as I could about our investigation."

Nick nodded understandingly, deciding it was best if he just let the conversation end there. Sadly... it didn't.

"Erm," Judy started cautiously, "what... what did you think I was doing?"

Nick looked carefully at nothing as he wordlessly crossed the room, and put down the tray of breakfast on the side table. Judy's cheeks lit up bright red as she put two and two together. She blinked, and blinked again, then her gaze rose to look at the fox.

Nick froze in the process of putting down her food as he felt that steely, cold gaze penetrating him. He turned slowly, with a sheepish smile twitching on the corner of his mouth. A grin, which dropped entirely as Judy spoke.

" _Wait!_... did you think I was~?"

Judy stared at him, her eyes wide with shock and her mouth gaping. Nick was dumbstruck, his silver tongue turned to lead in his mouth as he struggled to think (no less act). He thought hard for a believable alternative to what he truly thought she was doing, and came up blank, his heart thumping loud in his chest, panic rising fast within him.

But then, a tiny crack appeared in the veil of Judy's shock. The smallest of twitches in the corner of her mouth. Then, the crack of another smile appeared, a larger one, and this time the crack split right through her body.

Her shoulders started shaking as the silent chuckles built in strength and intensity within her. Soon after, it was impossible for Judy's body, which was small after all, to contain the swell of laughter building within her, and her mouth split into a wide smile as her fit of laughter filled the room, her head rocking back automatically to allow the vast quantities of 'laugh' to escape her more easily.

Nick laughed too, if a little nervously... and if only out of relief.

"Ooh, Nick, if..."

She reached out smoothly and took his paw. She drew it close to her body and pulled Nick onto the bed beside her. Once settled, lying on his back close to her, Judy possessively held Nick's hand and rubbed his fingers, his palm and his claws across her cheeks and her sensitive lips, all the while, touching and fondling it in her own soft paws.

Nick watched silently from beside her, more than content just to feel Judy's face and Judy's hands pressing into, and massaging, his own - but his eyes moved from watching their hands to looking into Judy's eyes as she took a breath to speak.

"...if I was really that desperate, Nicky, I'd come straight to you." She kissed his hand, pressed his palm flat against her cheek, then spoke again, her eyes practically sparkling with affection. "I know you couldn't resist a direct plea, could you?"

"Hopps my darlin'," he replied warmly, stroking Judy's face with his palm, making her eyes drift shut and her cheeks tinge pink, "I can hardly resist an indirect one."

Judy's eyes, which had fallen shut, opened again as Nick's lips pressed against hers, her lips melting into the warm kiss merely another second after.

...

"Bloody Hell," Jack Savage mumbled to himself from the floor above, flipping to the back of his notepad and marking down yet another line on the tally of kisses they had shared, "damn procrastinating lovers. Get a move on, would you? We don't have all day."

...

The kiss ended, finished by Nick after a final little push of energy. He leaned back in the bed, a very satisfied expression on his face, as Judy looked on, more than a little disappointed.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked, pouting playfully.

"Do you want your soup to get cold?" he smirched in return. He reached around behind him, picked up the tray of breakfast and held it beneath Judy's nose, which twitched expectantly at the appealing scent.

"Soup," she asked, taking the tray, "what kind?"

Nick answered too quickly and nearly gave the whole game away, "It's chic- carrot! It's 'carrot' soup."

"Carrot soup?" she repeated, picking up a spoonful of the solution and letting it drip out again. "This doesn't look, or smell, much like 'carrot', Nick."

"You know, that spiced kind."

She took a sip. Her eyes turned wide and her ears shot up at the pleasure of the taste but she continued her line of suspicious questioning regardless. "Then, shouldn't it be spicy?"

"I guess it's more of a herb really."

"Ooh, what kind?"

"Gee, I don't know!"

"But you made some yesterday!"

"Yeah I... did."

"Only, you've forgotten~?"

"No! No, of course not, that would be silly."

"Then what is it?"

"Well..."

If foxes had sweat glands, a single drop would have been dripping down his forehead at this point. That slight slip-up of almost calling it chicken had made her suspicious. He had better watch himself.

"Well," Nick tried again, "it was actually just a packet that came ready-made. Only I wanted to impress you by making it look like I made it myself." His eyes flicked up to Judy as he waited for the 'ahh, that was sweat of you'... but that never came. Instead, the fox was faced with a question.

"Then wouldn't the packet say?"

"Yeah... packet. Only, I already threw it away."

"Well, you could fish it out of the bin."

"Can't, I just took the trash out."

Judy gave Nick a weathering look. Nick realized he had won and a sly grin broke across his face. Judy grunted, picked out a small cube of something which Nick knew for a fact to be chicken with her tablespoon (or 'teaspoon' as it was used for by the larger Nick) and sniffed it, cautiously.

"Are you seriously telling me this is carrot?"

"Yep."

"But it's creamy-white and soft!"

"It's been specially prepared."

"Nick," she shot, dropping the spoon with a clang, "you cannot... make carrot... look, like, this."

"Maybe not the kinds your used to," he said, adjusting his tie, auspiciously, "but I know a few types you've probably never heard of."

To be honest, Nick regretted his choice of words the moment they left his mouth, and his smile fell into a look of worry, as a smug grin came onto the face of the rabbit whose entire lineage were carrot farmers.

"Oh yeah?" she said, balancing the trey on her knees and folding her arms, "name 'em."

"Urgh... long carrots, short carrots, bent carrots, straight carrots, stale carrots, broken carrots, moldy carrots, cute carrots, bunny carrots, hairy carrots, mutant carrots, chocolate carrots, baby carrots, teenage carrots, grandpa carrots, party carrots, green carrots, red carrots, blue carrots, chopped carrots, carrots that are vaguely reminiscent of phallic objects, carrot bear, carrot-bars, carrot buns, carrot cake, carrot eggs, carr-"

"What?"

Nick looked to Judy's face. She was squinting at him with the same expression she had when he asked her how long you have to keep apples buried in the ground before their ripe enough to hang up on a tree.

"Carrot eggs," he said, "you know, the stuff you plant."

Judy shook her head slightly, squinting even more in one part confusion and one part disbelief. "Nick... those are called 'seeds'."

"Not the ones I've heard of."

"Well... I don't know where you've heard them called eggs, but the're seeds."

"Sometimes, maybe, but-"

"No, not sometimes. The're seeds, Nick, seeds!"

Nick raised his hands innocently. "I'm not saying your wrong, Carrots, after all, who am I to argue with a member of the same family who grow such wonderful blueberries? All I'm saying, is perhaps, we're _both_ right." ...and it was then she started going into hysterics.

"But their not eggs Nick! Never in a million years are they eggs! The're seeds, nothing more, nothing less, seeds. They don't come from mammals, they don't hold embryos and they are not fluffing eggs! An egg is the oviform, organic vessel designed to hold the fertilized zygote until it forms into a sufficiently developed animal embryo which grows within the protective calcium carbonate shell created during the ovulation process of all species of birds and fish and some species of mammal, whereas seeds-"

Silently, and while Judy was still talking, Nick slowly and expressionlessly rose from the bed. Judy was focused entirely on her explanation of basic biology and kept on watching Nick as he paced out of the room, only vaguely aware he was walking away as she continued.

"-seeds, on the other hand, are the matured ovule of a gymnosperms or angiosperms form of plant, containing an embryonic plant enclosed in an out protective shell for the duration and maturation period of -"

The door shut. Judy stopped talking.

"...oh."

She then looked down at her breakfast. She thought it was a little ill-mannered of Nick to walk off like that, but she also knew her lectures of plant husbandry could last for hours. So, she inserted her spoon, raised it to her mouth, tipped it down and swallowed... and it was then realization hit her.

"Oh, son of a bitch." She threw down her spoon, growling, grinding her teeth and bitterly angry at herself for falling for it. "Nick you basted," she shouted at him, "you did that on purpose, didn't you? You know their called seeds, don't you!? And only called them 'eggs' to throw me off subject..." she had been shouting before, but then it became a scream. "And I fell for it!"

...

Nick continued pretending he couldn't hear the rabbit as her shouts of reprimands continued. Instead, he opened up the door to his dryer and took out Judy's clothes: a light blue shirt, darker blue trousers, under vest... carrot-print underwear.

For some reason, Nick was unable to progress further. He mealy sat their on the floor, a pile of Judy's folded cloths to his left, an empty tumble dryer to his right and a small pair of underwear in his paws.

He sat their, staring at the for quite some time. He couldn't understand why, but he had the overwhelming compulsion to make up a story to Judy, hide the panties and keep them for himself. Eventually however, he was able to drag himself away.

He folded them (though he wasn't quite sure how to folded women's underwear, particularly bras, so required a few attempts) before picking up the pile of freshly washed clothes and making his way back to the bedroom.

He tapped on the door a second time, but otherwise went straight in. "Your uniform, Carrots?"

"Thanks Nick. Cleaned?"

"Yep. Washed and dried."

"Thank you, Sweetheart," she smiled, still a little annoyed at him for the way he dodged telling her what the soup was, but quite unable to stay cross at him for all the kindness he consistently showed her. Judy took another spoonful of the half-consumed 'carrot' soup (which turned out to taste as nice as it smelt) as the fox lay down beside her as he had done earlier. "Aren't you eating anything?" she asked.

"I'm good thanks."

Nick watched with a smile at how much the rabbit was enjoying her meal. He knew this was a less than honest way of getting her to realize she liked it, but it was for her own good really. He knew it was probably a typical 'predator' attitude, but the idea that anyone could 'not' like chicken (poultry, of all foods!) was preposterous.

All Judy needed, like the build up from the two of them having sleepovers to living together, was to be acclimatized at a rate that suited her and which Nick could judge with every meal she ate.

Nick drew himself back from his thoughts with a smile, crossing his legs at the ankle and bringing his hands up behind his head.

"So," he said, "what's with your parents and this whole 'sex after marriage' thing? Seems kinda outdated to me. I'd have thought being rabbits-"

"-being rabbits," she interrupted, "we'd all be pregnant by the end of our first heat. I mean," she continued, more patiently as she looked up to Nick, "you do know about our heat, right?"

"Erm, yeah," he said... and he couldn't help the grin that split right across his muzzle as he said that, no matter how hard he tried.

"Good," Judy replied - a blush starting to form on her cheeks at that oh-so-sexy grin and the implication it was connected to - as she hastily looked back down to her food. "G-Good. Then you'll understand how important it is for my parents to employ strict rules to prevent it. It's a lot easier to have sex then to have a successful long-term relationship, after all. Just think of all the single mothers there'd be if they tried to pair off with the first buck they took a liking to. Just think how many of them would leave the mothers after the heat's worn off."

Softly, Nick's warm, red arm came slipping around Judy's body. He wrapped his arm around her, held her against him, leaned forwards and kissed her forehead as he spoke, "I wouldn't ever leave you, you know that."

"I know," she said, turning her head up to gaze at the wonderfully handsome fox she could now call 'lover'. "That's why I was - and still am - in two minds about sleeping with you. You're so important to me, Nick, and I want to get this right."

"Me too, Jules." Reaching out, Nick touched Judy's cheek delicately with his free paw as he leaned in, pressing his lips against hers for a kiss that was both long and tender before he pulled back and spoke again. "...me too."

"Nick?"

"Yes my dearest little Bunbun?" he said, his voice oozing with syrup.

"You've put paw marks all over my underwear."

"What? Where!?" he spluttered, panicked, turning sharply to see.

Judy just grinned "...Gotcha."

Nick's worried expression fell to a glum frown. "Yeah... right. And your Zoogle history is full of fox-porn."

Not missing a beat, Judy clicked her tongue and winked at the fox. "You won't catch me out that easily, Nicky ol' boy."

"Well then," he said, grinning, producing Judy's phone from nowhere and entering the password without complaint, "lets have a look then, shall we?"

"NO!"

Judy leaped. The soup bowl flew into the air. The naked rabbit tussled the startled Nick for the phone with nothing covering her soft, blue-gray body. Nick could do nothing but tense his grip on the phone - not entirely internationally but due to the sight. The soup bowl came down. It landed on Nick's head with a wet squelch. They froze.

Both taken aback, Judy slowly reached forwards and raised the rim of the soup bowl now covering Nick's head. She lifted it, and gazed upon the irritated, wrathful and very... 'soupy' expression on Nick's face.

"Ooh," said Judy.

"Hmm..." said Nick.

Biting her lower lip, Judy softly, gently, lowed the rim of the soup bowl back over Nick's face, chicken soup still running down his face and over his uniform. The fox still motionless but for his tail which thumped down on the bed at short intervals.

"Sorry," she squeaked.

"You will be," he muttered.

...

Click. * _Flash_ *

The rabbit blinked. She looked down at her naked body, across at the phone Nick lowered, then up into Nick's face as he held the rim of the bowl up with his free hand, revealing an almost savagely, devilish grin beneath.

"Nick," Judy started... "Nick, did you just-?"

"Arrh, not bad," he said, inspecting the photograph he had just taken on Judy's phone. "Not bad at all. I might even send it into PlayMammel!"

"Nick, did you just-?"

"Now lets see, contacts... contacts."

"Did you seriously just-?

"Ah, here we go! Now, who to send it to."

"Nick, you give me that phone."

"Well, there's me, obliviously, and there's Bogo, Clawhauser, Finnick... Mom and Dad~"

"If you want to live till tomorrow, Fox, you'll give me that phone."

"Of course, after what we did in saving the city, I'm sure Mayor Lionheart would be happy to have it printed in every news paper, report and article in the city!

"Nick, you give me that phone right now or you're dead!"

"It's sure to raise his voting rates after all."

 ** _"Gurrghhha!"_**

...

Twelve minutes later, Nick and Judy stepped out from Nick's Apartment. Judy stepped out first, holding the door open penitently for the poor fox as he shuffled out from several feet behind, her gaze dropping apologetically to the floor as he passed.

The moment he had paced slowly past her, Judy ran to get ahead of Nick, unlocked the car, and opened the passenger-side door for him, humbly, speaking as he came nearer, "I'll - I'll driv-"

"Yes."

She bit her lip and obeyed without question, opening the door and slipping in without comment. Nick joined her, slowly, a few seconds later and Judy remained motionless in the drivers seat.

Judy stared blankly ahead of her without moving or saying a word. After a time, she risked a glance at Nick who hadn't looked or properly spoken to her for some time, and who was still holding a large, white bag filled with ice against one half of his face. She looked back, her ears low with shame.

Eventually... Judy broke the silence.

"Nick~"

The fox just grunted in reply.

"Nick, look, I'm sorry."

"Forget _about_ it," he mumbled in reply.

"Look," she tried, honestly, "please... I didn't mean to hit you quite so hard."

Nick lowered the ice pack he was holding to his head, turning to glower at the remorseful rabbit through his good eye... and tried to do the same with his black eye.

"Judy... just drive the fluffing car."


	28. Even A Gradual Drip…

**I apologize for the delay - I was unavoidably detained - and quite unable to state my tardiness in advanced. Nevertheless, here we are now...**

* * *

A languid stillness hung in the main reception hall of the Zootopia Police Department Headquarters. The reception of the ZPD HQ was empty - its lowered shutters blocking the light of the freshly risen sun and the still air of its empty halls and corridors, fresh and chill after the cold night. All was still and fresh; clean, like the inside of an operating room, empty, waiting, ready for use, prepared absolutely for what troubles the day may bring - the dawn of fresh pain from the ebb of night.

Movement. Sound stirred in the silence. A fresh breath of warmer air following behind, drawn in by the airflow caused from the large figures entrance to the room - a rather flabby figure.

The flabby creature hummed - the tune muffled by the pasty his mouth was stuffed with - as he entered the main reception hall through a side-passage. Accustomed to the museum-like silence which hung in the air every morning - before the ZPD was busy with the industrial rush it faced throughout the day - the cheetah broke the silence without care or comment; breaking the stillness underfoot as he strode to the front desk.

He opened the half-door to enter the receptionists compartment, closed it behind him, put his boxes of doughnuts and serial upon the counter and slid into his large chair with all the grace and dignity of a poleaxed pig. He settled himself down, made himself comfortable in the wide chair (which was once less wide but has since been bent out of shape) and proceeds to prepare his first bowl of cereal - since coming into work, that is.

From where he entered the building, Bogo entered. "Clawhauser," he greeted as he neared, not looking up from the report he was reading.

"Hiya, Bogo," the cheetah called back. Yes, standing with a salute to his chief was customary, but Clawhauser was one of the Chief's oldest friends... besides which, if he stood now he might not have the breath to stand up again later without calling on the assistance of a dozen other officers.

The Buffalo sighed airily, stetting his report down upon Clawhauser's desk and taking a long swig from the strong coffee which he took every morning in substitute for breakfast. "Benjamin," he said, "you getting those front gates unlocked yet?"

"Oh! Err, yes Chief!" With that he pulled a key quickly and from his pocket and inserted it into a lock concealed beneath the desk. He turned it, and the electrical signal it triggered shot down the desk, beneath the floor, across the room and into the iron shutters. The device triggered by the key, the motors above the glass doors of the ZPD HQ jolted into life, rising slowly, the fresh sun filtering in as the metal bars rose.

Bogo and Clawhauser - who had turned away - turned back to the glass doors with a frown. As the shutters raised and the light filtered into the room, a vast black silhouette was lain across the ground. The looked to the source of the shadow.

There are many kinds of dog living in the city of Zootopia - canines are one of the most diverse breeds in the world, in fact - some were smaller than rabbits in size and some were far larger beasts. This one was big and black - the size of a medium-large wolf - with fur which was rugged and shaggy; he had a single eye which was of a deep brown that could easily be mistaken for red and strong sailors-swagger as his old but large-muscled frame moved into the building.

Bogo and Clawhauser watched in silence as he approached, parting his lips and speaking - not shouting - and yet filling every inch of the room with his voice. "Heed my words well," he said, "for I have a great tale to tell."

...

Amity Avenue is known as one of the oldest standing roads in all Zoophon - the country which Zootopia is the capital of - and unquestioningly, the oldest road in Zootopia itself. Better known simply as 'Old Road' by the locals of this ancient street, many might think it merely a grotty little street, disused and dingy, forgotten and fading. In truth, it is anything but.

Old Road is the widest and longest single road in all Zootopia. Four lanes wide, it is said that Old Road was the first real road to be built by mammal kind all those hundreds of years ago - back when Zootopia was a three-hut village and the idea of predator and pray living harmony was but a mocking joke in the wind - amidst a medieval world of waring nations.

In today's world, however, Amity Avenue is the main artery of Zootopia, pumping lifeblood into the heart of the city, fueling it like coal to the furnace.

The four lanes of Old Road run in all the same direction - inwards - from the edge of the city to The Ringroad which encircles Administrators' Tower - unarguably the grandest and most influential building in all Zoophon - at its core.

Nestled somewhere among the continual line of traffic - which ran from dawn till dusk, slowly, like warm treacle - Judy Hopps pulled the ZPD cruiser to a stop before the red lights of a crossroad.

Nick let out a slight groan of discomfort as he adjusted the hold of his ice-pack against his face, or - more to the point - his black eye. He had changed his soup-doused uniform since the incident occurred and washed his 'chickened' face. Without turning his head, the fox glanced to Judy, guilt slowly building within him for the silence he was allowing to drag on.

Surrounded on all sides by hundreds of cars - the metal of which gleamed harshly in the early-morning sun - the rabbit turned to the silent Nick, hoping to use this pause in her driving to make amends. She spoke softly to the fox who was gazing out at nothing, making his ear flick once by the very tenderness in her voice. "Nick... how - how does it feel?"

He glanced to her, briefly, then replied. "Feelsalright," he mumbled.

"Let me see." Nick didn't move, so Judy sat forwards in her chair and gently took Nick's paw in her own, lowering it and the ice-pack from covering his eye. "Well, the swelling's definitely gone down," she said.

The fox smirched, and a wry little chuckle escaped him before he half-glanced to the bunny and said, "you know, that's quite a right hook you've got there. You sure you shouldn't have been a boxer?"

"An interesting idea," Judy said, a small smile growing on her lips at the fox's return to being receptive to her, "but how could I've had a handsome partner like you if I was a boxer?"

"I could've been your sparing partner - what am I thinking?" he added, touching the black swelling about his eye gingerly, "I already am."

Judy's smile faded again and her ears started lowering. She opened her mouth and started to make another apology. Nick smiled, reaching out his paw and lay a single finger against her lips to silence her as he turned his head to face her.

"Judy," he said, "I don't care how much of a beating I get from you; I'm just happy you feel the same way about me as I do about you."

Judy smiled, and allowed her head to move closer to Nick's, her eyelids lowering at the soft touch of his paw which drew her head closer. Their lips moved close together and where about to touch when-

 _*HONK*_

The partners lept apart and Judy hastily put the car into gear and tried to pull away. in her panic to do so, however, she ground the gears and stalled the car, audibly glowing as her cheeks lit up red while the cars of all the the lanes started to pull away around her.

"It's okay, Judy," Nick said comfortingly (and only a little patronizingly), "just relax and take a breath. Try again, and it'll all work out fine." He turned to the rabbit and smiled. She turned back to him and bared her teeth.

The fox leaned back from her expression - knowing when giving Judy a little space was wise - as he adjusted his tie nonchalantly. Nick opened his mouth to respond - but then... something caught his eye. His gaze rose and the fox looked out at the lane furthest away form them. It appeared their car was not the only one having trouble pulling away ~

Judy tried a second time, failing to notice anything amiss outside as a number of small curses passed through her lips - many of which began with 'f's. She started the car, moved into gear and set of down the road.

Nick twisted himself around in the seat as they pulled away. He stared at the cars behind for a moment, his brows lowering, before he turned back ahead of him.

"Judy, turn left here for me would you?"

"But, the ZPD's ahead...?"

"I know - just - humor me, okay?"

Judy started forwards, turning the car to the left as the fox had asked.

"Another left here," Nick said, his voice dry.

"We're going back home? Why?" The rabbit tried to figure out some reason as to why Nick was want to return home so soon but, to be quite honest with herself, the only reason she could think was that the fox wanted to drag her from work and have his wicked way with her... which was an idea Judy didn't mind one bit - no matter how much she told herself she should.

All chances of her mini-fantasy of Nick taking her home and to his bed were dashed, however, as the next set of crossroads were reached.

"Left again here," Nick said.

"Nick, are you feeling alright? I probably hit you harder than I thought, but, you do realize we're going in circles, don't you?"

"Okay... another left," was her only response.

Judy said nothing this time, glancing concernedly at the fox before pulling a fourth left and coming up to stop before the crossroad and traffic lights which had started this strange adventure.

"You know," Judy said, baffled but sarcastic as Nick twisted in his seat and gazed out of the back window, "it's funny, but I'd've thought you of all mammals would know their way to work after-"

"I thought we were being followed. Okay?"

Judy's head shot around to face Nick, her eyes wide, her mouth open with shock. "W-what?" She span around further, scanning the faceless mass of cars. "Where?"

"We're not. Least I don't think."

"Who... who did you think was following us?"

"Just some rabbit. Mid thirties I guess, grey fur, black stripes. Kind of a black suit or something."2

"Why'd you think he was following us?"

"I just felt like I _knew,_ Judy. It's hard to explain," he said, gazing off at nothing, trying to put into words that which he had always taken for granted, "but, you just kinda get a _scene_ for that kind of thing when you've been in the trade long enough."

"But... I've been a cop _longer_ than you!"

"And that wasn't the 'trade' I was referring to. Besides, when we - _I mean you_ \- had that little mishap back there and failed to pull away, he did the same thing. But it didn't look like he was having trouble - just looked like he was stopped and not trying to go. Kinda like he was waiting for us to go first."

"So that's what that was about!"

"Yeah. I was seeing how far he followed us. It could've just been coincidence he followed us from outside our apartment to here, but if he followed us around the block he would've been following us for sure."

"...our apartment?"

That question threw Nick off guard. His gaze rose to her. "Wh- what?"

"Our apartment," she said softly, carefully. "You said _'_ _our'_ apartment, like, we're living together or something..."

Even tough she was looking at the road and not at him, it was still hard for the fox to hold her eye. "J - Judy," he started, his eyes flicking away then back again. "Judy, this... this really isn't the time-"

"Why not? Because we're talking about some rabbit who wasn't following us?"

"Why? Because - it's errh. Because ~"

Nick sought for a way to change the subject - not because he didn't want to commit to Judy or to an answer - but because he wasn't ready to best argue his case. He knew he might get only one shot to convince Judy to live with him, and if he wasn't prepared beforehand, he might mess the whole thing up.

The fox found an excuse to change the subject - sadly unaware that Judy had pointed out the fact he had spoken as though they were living together not to _berate_ him - but to _encourage_ him.

"because - Look, your favorite song is on!"

Judy opened her mouth, but Nick had already turned the volume up beyond reason. The ZPD came into view and Judy Hopps - with a sigh and a growl - decided this would be a discussion best left... for later.


	29. Can Make a River…

**This chapter isn't as long as I'd've liked it to be but I had to get all my college work done by today (Friday 16th) and - also - there's the fact of my 18th birthday which came on the 14th so... yeah, I'm 18 now(!)**

...

"And that's it; you fled?" Shaded from the intensity of direct sunlight - sheltered in the cool, conditioned air of his office - Bogo sat back in his chair, his chin resting on his hand as he watched the shaggy black dog sat across form him.

" _Yesir_ ," he replied, "no other option, y'see. You don't mind if I smoke?"

The chief opened his mouth to say 'actually he _did_ mind and that it was, really, _illegal_ to smoke in public buildings'... but Shuck had already put his match to his small, wooden pipe and was puffing away furiously. Bogo closed his mouth, cleared his throat, and tried again.

"Can you tell me more this of this - coyote - what he was wearing, any distinguishing marks?"

"Eye. He was a young fellow of a lad who didn't have no respect. No taller than your average coyote but a little leaner perhaps. Typical sailing garb - you know - boots, waterproofs, all that."

Bogo copied Shuck's words onto paper as he spoke. The dog sucked a particularly long puff from his pipe as leaned his age-stiffened back into the soft support of the chair, squinting at nothing as he thought back on what had happened.

"I'd have tae say he was... overstated, in the way he behaved and held himself an' all. Far as I could tell, he was the type of lad suited to middle management - ordering people around and taking their credit while only doing what he'd been told by 'is supervisors - without any real skill or thinking on his part beyond lookin' pretty."

Bogo scratched down more notes. "And this, Victor-"

"'Course," Black interrupted, sitting forwards and banging his pipe out on Bogo's desk, leaving a small pile of ashes, "it won't do you no good to be lookin' for him now. That ship's long gone."

"Still," Bogo replied calmly, sitting forwards and brushing the ash off his desk, "we do like to know these things." He smiled, falsely, and then, "now, this Nyilas-" Bogo was interrupted a second time - this time by his radio.

"Sir?" it crackled from its place in Bogo's belt.

The Chief grunted and pulled it from its holster, speaking wearily. "Who is it?"

"Me."

Bogo blinked. There was only one mammal Bogo know who would be so self-confident as to simply assume whoever he was talking to would instantly know who it was by stating a single word... and it wasn't Nick.

"Savage," Bogo said, tersely, "can this wait?"

"Well it _'could'_... yes." Bogo's shoulders slumped; he sighed. In Jack's books, a statement as vague as that was a general (non-confrontational) term for 'yes, do it now'.

"Alright," Bogo said, standing, "just give me a sec'." The buffalo stood and made towards his small, personal office, turning to Black for a moment as he stepped out. "This'll just take a moment," he said, before he shut the door.

Shuck Black watched Bogo with two eyes as he left the room. After a moment, his hand moved to his head and he took one eye out. He examined his glass eye through his real eye, breathed on it, rubbed it clean, then put it back into his head before starting to process of refilling his pipe.

...

The air outside was thick with the building heat of the day. In the car park of the ZPD headquarters, the smallest of cruses pulled up to a stop. Inside, Judy turned to look at her fox as she turned off the car and pulled the ignition key from the lock. She frowned at seeing him twisted around to look out the back window. He still seamed troubled.

"Nick?"

"Yeah," he glanced at her, fleetingly, then looked back out, "what?"

Judy unbuckled herself and sat forwards, twisting herself around to look out the back window as Nick was. "What's the matter with you this morning? Other than your black eye, I mean," she added, apologetically.

Nick reacted to the sadness in Judy's voice and glanced at her a second time with a warm smile, but then looked back out the window, his expression stern and thoughtful as before.

Her eyebrows lowering in confusion, Judy lent forwards and moved her head close to Nick's, looking out so she could follow his gaze. The car park of the ZPD was within a secure, enclosed space with only one entrance. This entrance came with a metal gate high enough to stop intruders accessing the ZPD cars. Looking through it, Judy could see the cars passing on the main rode they drove in on.

She stared out in silence. A red car drove past, then a blue one, a gray one, a white one, then another red one. "Nick, what - what is it you're _doing_ , exactly?"

"Looking."

"For what?"

"For who."

" _Whom_ \- actually - but go on."

Nick glanced towards her, grinning at his lover, before looking back. "Our black-stripped friend: the rabbit with the silver car. I know it's a long shot, but it pays to be careful."

Judy slipped an arm around Nick's waist - for the simple reason that she wanted feel his body against hers - as she spoke. "Good, _but_... hadn't we better get in there? It's probably getting late."

"Nope," the fox said, not truing to her but slipping his hand down to hold the paw which was wrapped around his waist, "we still have eight minutes before the others start turning up."

Judy pulled herself a little closer to the sweet-smelling fox, her head resting lightly on his shoulder. "How's that," she asked, "I would have thought after all _that_ we'd've needed to hurry."

"Well, seeing as how we came straight here without needing to stop off at yours first - that, and the fact we drove rather than walked - I think it's easy to see why we're the first ones here. We've got plenty of time." The fox raised his free paw to his eye, rubbing the black swelling around it tenderly. "Even with... _incidents_."

Judy put both arms firmly around _her_ fox, holding the warmth of his body close to hers as she spoke, sadly, into one ear. "Nick, I am, _really_ sorry about that. I promise, I-"

"Will you stop apologizing, Hopps," Nick answered playfully as he looped both his arms around her, holding her in an - albeit awkward - but satisfying hug, perched over the gearstick and handbrake, their bodies turned to observe out the back window.

"Honestly, stop it," he continued, "your reasons were perfectly justified and your justice dealt swift. For all you knew, I was literally about to send a pic' of you - naked - to the Mayor of this city, after all."

"That's besides the point," Judy complained, pressing her lips against Nick's nose gently, "the point is _I hurt you._ And not for the first time.

"I realize I'm no help," Nick added, absently, "I do tend to push your nerves as far as they'll go - I know - and sometimes I just push you too far. I understand that. I don't blame you for the results of my own actions..." he raised a clawed finger and tiled Judy's head up so her eyes met his... "and nor should you."

Judy smiled, raising her hand and holding Nick's paw in her own. "...then there's also the fact you're gonna have to tell everyone in the ZPD how you _got_ that black eye ~"

"Ohh, I shouldn't worry too much about that, Hopps. After all, who's gonna know?" Judy squinted. Nick grinned, and in another instant he had produced his aviator glasses, opened them with a flick of the wrist and had slid them coolly across his nose.

Fondly, Judy smiled up at the fox - bathing in the warm sense of relief that filled her at knowing Nick was anything but mad with her - speaking softly, warmly, as her fingers entwined with his. "I love you, you sly old fox you."

"Old? Not too old to be dating a beautiful, young rabbit like yourself, I hope." The rabbit giggled. Nick continued. "Come on, darlin'," he said, leaning forwards and planting an honest, simple kiss on Judy's lips, "lets get in there before things get heated and we really _are_ late."

Judy knew they had done far more than just 'kissed' the night before - and she was fully aware of what would have happened if only she or Nick had just a little less self control - but the simple pleasure of that chased but loving kiss was still more than enough to make her lips tinge pink, her cheeks flush with color, her breaths turn short and a light fluttering sensation grow in her chest as she said, "I'm coming, Sweetheart."

The two lovers shared a fond gaze for a long moment, opened the doors, and stepped out of the dark interior of the car and into the broad light of day. They locked the car and walked arm-in-arm to the metal door of the ZPD's back-entrance - the fox opening the door gracefully to the rabbit before shutting it softly behind her.

...and, a few seconds later, the black-striped head of a gray-furred rabbit appeared from the other side of the car park's outer walls. He watched the fox and rabbit enter the building - not noticed by either - and then slipped in through the metal bars of the gate which were more than wide enough to allow a rabbit entry.

He raised his phone to an ear - Hopps and Wilde safely within - and spoke. "Targets relocated, sir," he said as he walked, "both are now entering the building as we speak."

"Good work, Savage," came Bogo's reply. "Now, come in and stay low - especially when the other officers start turning up - I do _not_ want your presence here to be known. Out."

Jack stopped and looked down at the hung-up phone in his hand. "...very good, sir," he muttered, slipping the phone back in his pocket and heaving the over-sized door slowly open.


	30. of an Empty Valley

**I beckon all thee who readeth this to harken to these words, for we are all upon the threshold of a great achievement, a milestone. This story, which started with the simple count of but 1,723 words, has grown, 58 times over, to reach, upon the ending of this chapter, the grand and noble scale of** ** _precisely_** **one hundred, thousand words.  
**

 **And so, ladies and gentlemen - in this day, this hour, this moment - allow me first to thank all those who have written your comments and criticisms (the words of which, leave me humbled) and, secondly, to present to you the thirtieth chapter of this tale - the last word of which ('read') is the hundredth, thousandth word of:**

 **~ Paw in Paw ~  
by  
~ Mister Smail ~**

* * *

It was Paw in Paw that Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps wondered the still-empty corridors of the ZPD. Nick leading Judy through the paths less trailed as he always did, they made the way from around the back of the building to the front - heading towards the reception - where they would then sign in.

Judy noticed Nick had a particularly strong swagger today, and Judy thought she knew the reason. "Well, someones cheerful this morning," she said, playfully, squeezing Nick's paw lovingly in her own.

He looked over to her, smiling. "How couldn't I be cheerful, with you by my side?"

"I really mean that much to you?" Judy asked, aware of the answer, wanting to hear it from the fox. He didn't disappoint.

"Oh yes indeed, my carrot-farming friend. This is already the best day of the year and its only five minutes to six!"

Judy took Nick's arm with her free hand and tugged him to a stop, pulling his head low to whisper into an ear, "In that case, Wilde, we have five minutes before roll call. Yes?"

Nick nodded, mutely. Judy pulled his ear closer and whispered quieter still. "Then what would you say if I surest we find ourselves a nice, quiet little storage cupboard to creep into, and we spend a few minutes just ' _enjoying_ ' one another."

"Tishk, Hopps, whatever would our chief say?"

"Stop mucking, Nick: times 'a ticking."

Instantly Nick Wilde switched from playful to serious - he always did when the situation required it. "We'll do it. Tell Clawhauser we have to get some paperwork for the Chief - that'll give is an excuse not to talk - then, we'll head over to a storage room. If we're quick, we should get two minutes uninterrupted, at least."

And then Judy was gone, marching swiftly away with the speed and inexorability of a Sargent Major.

A small warning signal grew in the back of Nick's mind as he watched his lover fondly as she marched away, and he started to wounder what it was. But it wasn't until a second later - when he was being dragged along by his arm, stumbling clumsily as he tried to regain his balance with a small cry of surprise escaping his lips - that he realized: Judy was still holding his paw.

" _J - Judy! Wait!"_

...

With a thirty second walk accomplished in what felt like just three, Judy gave Nick the much-needed opportunity to regain his composure.

"Thank you," he said tersely, adjusting his shirt, tie, et cetera. He turned away form Judy with a smile and faced the large gray door which lead from the service-corridor they had entered, into the ZPD's main reception hall. "Okay, remember what I said: we need to get some paperwork to the Chief."

"Got it," Judy said, releasing Nick's paw as he pushed the large gray door open before the two of them walked - quite calmly, quite leisurely - into the main hall, in the center of which the (almost unnaturally) wide figure of Clawhauser could be seen, digging into a box of serial.

Hopps and Wilde approached, listening to the odd sounds of delight the overweight creature made as he ate his serial - forgoing the use of a bowl or cutlery - with his head simply shoved deep into the cardboard box. Both watched with silent fascination before Judy broke the silence.

"Claw... Clawhauser?" Leaning forwards meekly, Judy tapped on the table as though not wanting to disturb him.

The fox chuckled at the rabbit slightly pityingly. "Hopps," he said with a condescending little pat on the head that made her scowl, venomously. "You've adapted wonderfully to city life, but my darlin', you still don't seem to realize, sometimes, a little extra volume is needed to get your voice heard."

With a smug gin on his face as he gazed at the fuming rabbit, Nick lent forwards onto the table. He opened his mouth to call out to the feasting cheetah, when a small but impossibly strong gray-blue paw clamped over it.

"Officer Clawhauser!" Judy bellowed, Nick starting back, the rabbit stood squarely in the center of Clawhauser's desk. "Atten-hut!"

The subconscious part of Clawhauser's mind instantly recognized the voice and tone of a Commander giving orders and had his body standing and snapping to attention instantly - eyes straight, shoulders back, salute in place.

Pieces of Lucky Chops Cereal were stuck to his face. A few fell and landed onto his uniform as he stood in attention, waiting for the next orders of whoever the Commander was - his eyes fixed to the front so he was unable to see her.

Then, something peculiar happened. The Commander... giggled _?_ Well _that_ didn't sound like a Commander. That voice sounded far more... Judyish?

He looked down.

"At ease, Ben," the small rabbit chuckled.

"...Hopps?" The cheetah realized he was sill stood in a salute and quickly sat back down. "God, you nearly gave me a heart attack, Hopps... you ~"

Neither knew why, but he trailed off then and his nose (close to Judy, having sat back down, as she was still stood on the table) started twitching with interest.

"Clawhauser," Judy said, getting down as his sniffing continued, "sorry we can't talk, but we have to fetch some things for Bogo before roll call."

Clawhauser didn't seem to be listening; Nick lent a hand, leaning forwards on his desk.

"What Hopps here is saying, Ben, is that..." The cheetah's predatorial nose swung around and started twitching in Nick's direction. "We..." Suddenly, Nick realized what it was Clawhauser was sniffing at and he drew himself - his scent - back hastily, wincing, knowing he had figured out what the cheetah was sniffing too late.

"Well... you two smell like you had a pretty good time with each other last night!" he grinned, "things get a little out of hand in the bedroom, did they?"

Both Nick and Judy froze up.

"What," Judy strutted, "what are you _implying_... exactly?"

"Oh come on, Hopps," he said in reply, leaning forwards on his desk, his hands tucked under his chin, "there's only _so_ many reasons why two mammals come to work standing _that_ close together and each smelling _exactly_ like the other."

Judy stared up at Nick. Nick stared down at Judy. She spoke, " _No!_ No, you've got it all wrong, we-"

"Give it up, Hopps. This has been going on for _months_ and everyone knows it."

"Months? But this has only been going on for-"

"A- _hem_ ," Nick said.

"-there _is_ _nothing_ going on! There is nothing, going on, between Nick, and myself."

Clawhauser scoffed.

"We are just _friends._ "

"Ooh, stop it," Clawhauser puffed.

"Believe me!"

" _No!_ Why else would you come to work smelling the same?"

"Be - because..." Judy fumbled for an answer for all but a second before the reassuring calm of Nick's voice cut in.

"We were sparing," Nick said, speaking for the first time since this line of questioning started, his speech soft. "Hopps and I, - sparing - round my place," he shruged, "just a few simple moves to get us warmed up and ready."

After a moments thought, Judy grinned up at her fox. _Yep, that lye works a treat. Cleaver fox._ While not exactly a reputable skill - and definitely not one to put on a CV - the ability to lye quickly and believably could be a seriously powerful skill in the hands of one who know hot to use it. By the simple and honest way in which Nick had told his lie - not stuttered, not blabbed - even the stubbornness listener might be convinced.

Clawhauser, on the other hand, didn't want to be convinced. "Yeah, right. I know the kind of _sparing_ you really mean," he retorted with a wink. "From what I know of Officer Hopps here, I'd guess she's _quite_ demanding when it comes to _those_ matters. You've all but admitted it now, and there's no taking it back. I know what the two of you have been up to and there's nothing you can do to change my-"

Nick slid his glasses off and gazed flatly at Clawhauser - one eye open, the other, half squinted closed with a black swelling around it. Clawhauser froze in place. Slowly, he started to turn red. Then, he raised a hand to cover his mouth in shock before he blurted, " _Oh my God I am so sorry!_ It - it's just when I saw you coming in stood so close like that and smelling the same - and knowing how well you two get along anyway, I mean, you spend like literally every day with each other - I just assumed the two of you might have been _dating_ or something and now I find out you're not, and-"

"Clawhauser, it's fine," Judy said, far calmer now after Nick's reassertion on the matter, "it's perfectly understandable for you to think what you did. Me and _Officer_ Wilde here do spend a lot of time together. We are very close-"

"Getting closer," Nick muttered, quiet, so as only Judy (who silenced him with an elbow) could hear.

"-but," she continued, "our relationship is purely platonic."

"Thanks to her parents'," Nick muttered again, "stupid marriage before se- _ouch"_ He rubbed his forearm and sneered down at the rabbit beside him, wondering - not for the first time - if Judy secretly _knew_ just how hard she hit him.

Clawhauser opened his mouth to apologize once again - now firmly believing what he had been told - but then, out of nowhere, his two-way-radio receiver barked into life with the sound of Bogo's voice. "Clawhauser!" He started back but pressed the 'respond' button swiftly.

"Yes Chief?"

"Send Officers Hopps and Wilde up to see me. _Now!_ "

"Yes sir." He looked back... but Hopps and Wilde already jogging towards Bogo's office. "Hey, be careful," he called out after them, "it sounds like he got out of the wrong side of bed this morning.

"Clawhauser," Nick called back, "I don't think Bogo's bed even _has_ a right side."

The cheetah chuckled; Nick and Judy disappeared around the corner.

"Well," Nick muttered to Judy, replacing his smoked glasses,"so much for our time _enjoying_ one another."

"Never mind about that now, Nick," she said, slipping her hand into his paw as they jogged, "after all, you know what tomorrow is, don't you."

"The weekend?"

"The weekend. Just imagine all the fun we can get up to with two _whole_ days to do whatever we want."

The fox's only reply was to grin as the door to Bogo's office came into view.

...

Back in the reception, Clawhauser pressed the 'call' button for Bogo's radio signal.

"Sir?"

"What is it, Ben?"

"How," he answered, flummoxed, "how did you know they were here?"

"I'm the Chief, Clawhauser. I know everything." The radio crackled, then the line went dead.

Clawhauser squinted down at his radio receiver as he thought. When Bogo said 'I'm the chief, I know everything', ninety five percent of the time what he really meant was 'Clawhauser just told me'. Obliviously he would never say this, and the cheetah knew his Chief had to give the impression of being just that little bit omnipotent, but - seriously - how had he known?

He pondered for few seconds more, shrugged, and returned to furiously eating... quite unaware that his answer was stepping into the reception through the same doorway Nick and Judy had entered through.

Jack Savage paced silently towards Clawhauser's desk, running through his reasons for being there one last time.

He was a computer technician working for Direct Data Ltd. He had been recently called by Bogo to fix server systems in the Eastern wing of the ZPD, which had developed minor faults that he was required to fix. The company had been established for seven years. He had been working for them for three years. His name was Ronald Rule; he was thirty-two years old with a house and wife in Perthshire. It was all worked out. The ZPD's security receptionist could ask him any question about anything related to who he was and why he was there, and he could answer him instantly. He had it all down pat. No question - no matter how complex - could get ever catch him off guard. He was ready.

The black-striped rabbit came to a stop, stood just in front of the desk where a sack of heart-attack-on-legs was sat with its head reinserted in a cardboard box of cornflakes, apparently completely unaware he was even there. Savage opened his mouth to call to him. "Mist-"

"Ooh, there's the toy! I found it!" the cheetah squealed.

The rabbit blinked. He blinked again. He raised his eyebrows, shrugged his shoulders slightly, and paced silently away again, heading - completely unhindered - towards his goal, deciding that sometimes, fate just dealt in your favor.

...

Resisting the urge no longer, Bogo stood from his desk and walked across to the window, throwing it open and allowing the thick stench of Shuck Black's continually-smoked pipe to escape, breathing deeply of the fresher, cleaner air which rushed in to take its place. Behind him, Shuck cleared his throat; Bogo turned as he started to speak.

"So, these Officers," he said, "they any good at their job?"

Bogo hid his the annoyance that the dog implied he would hire Officers who were not any good at their job though a friendly smile as he said, "Certainly. Both Officers Hopps and Wilde are outstanding. They were in the news just under a year ago for saving the city, didn't you see it?"

"I never have much time for stuff like that," he answered vaguely, "but just so long as they can take care of 'themselves I don't have a problem."

Bogo's head turned to the door as he heard a soft knocking emanate from without. "Come in, Officer Hopps," he called. The door opened. Judy's head poked in first, followed by the rest of her with Nick following close behind. Bogo's expression froze when he saw Nick.

"Morning, Chief," Judy said quietly, still not quite sure why he had asked them here."

The Chief didn't respond, his gaze still locked on Nick, his expression turning slowly darker as the fox gazed right back, Nick's expression somewhat startled as he tried to figure out what he'd done this time.

"Ermm," Nick started, "hey, Chief."

"You've got some nerve, haven't you, _fox_."

"Have... have I?" A thought struck Nick, _he means my glasses,_ and he slipped them off his face, instantly.

Bogo's face didn't change at seeing the black eye - apart from his scowl, which grew in size, and his glower which became like a beckon of retribution - glaring deep into Nick's soul.

Nick was good at hiding when he was in an uncomfortable situation, but no amount of training or experience would ever have been enough for him not to vissably shrink back from the shear fury in the gigantic buffalo's expression as it hounded down upon him.

Chief Bogo hadn't meant to act any differently towards Wilde after what he... heard, during Savages report on what they were doing, and yet, when that red creature sauntered into the room like he owned the place, stinking of Judy as Judy stinked of Nick, he couldn't help himself.

For Bogo, caring for his officers was second nature - instinct - and he couldn't ignore or resist the building anger or tension he felt at seeing him. He knew what he and Hopps had been doing and it made him sick to the core. He didn't care whether it was consensual, he didn't care if Officer Hopps thought that Nick cared for her - or if Officer Hopps was under the impression she cared for Nick - the fact was Nick Wilde - the shifty, low time con mammal who once came under heavy suspicion for the murder of his own girlfriend - had taken Officer Hopps - one of his officers - and had brutally, and heartlessly, defiled her.

Bogo didn't care what trickery or manipulation Wilde had used to make Hopps _believe_ she was in love with him: she wasn't. And he could not just stand by like nothing was happening. He was going to take that fox. He was going to take him and throw him in a cell until he rot. He would have him neutered for what he'd done. He~

Bogo quickly drew himself back from his thoughts. He still didn't have any hard evidence, after all. To be perfectly honest with himself, all he knew for certain was what Savage had reported, and everything else was simple speculation.

Nick shifted from foot to foot once again. He didn't have any idea why Bogo was trying to burn a hole through him using only his eyes, but whatever the reason, he was pretty sure he didn't like it.

Judy's nerves were on edge. She glanced again between Nick and his Chief - wondering, like Nick, if he was in some kind of trouble. There was nothing he had done she knew of (not recently, anyway) but there had been a few times where Bogo had threatened firing Nick in the past - and he had threatened so whilst being in a better mood than this.

Shuck watched with mild interest - assuming this behavior was Police protocol, and not really caring if this whether this was the case or not.

At length, Bogo broke the silence.

"Officers Hopps, Wilde," he said, turning, "this is mister Black."

The two officers turned to the large, shaggy black dog who was eyeing them carefully.

"Good morning," Judy said politely to the ruggedey creature.

He nodded. "An same to you, Missie."

"Last night," continued the Chief, "he played active witness to what appeared to be the importation of an illegal shipment of drugs in our docks. I have considered the matter thoughtfully, and have decided to give the duty of investigating this claims to the both of you."

"Thank you, Sir!" Judy said, grateful, but maintaining her professional stature.

"And," Bogo added, "after you have questioned him sufficiently here, the two of you will make a comprehensive report of your findings to everybody at role call.

And it was that order which froze her. "But... sir, isn't that your job?" It wasn't that she minded being given extra duties (like questioning Shuck, investigating the fire at Ladders and so forth) because every time she did that, it looked good on Nick and her's report and may - just may - speed them on towards her primary goal of becoming a detective. This, however, was different. This, was public speaking. And she hated it.

"There's no time for that kind luxury, Hopps. If there really has been an entire shipment of illegal substance entering this city, we have to appoint all possible time and resources we have to finding it, containing it, and ensuring it doesn't happen again. I have already got in touch with the officials of the harbor and advised them to place more security staff, but we must focus on amending the damage done."

"I understand that, sir, but-"

"Unless you have documented your findings," Bogo bellowed in reply, "then we have no choice but for you and Officer Wilde to make the report. There is no discussion about this. This matter is not open for-."

"But we have documented our findings!" Nick cut in. Bogo fell silent. "Judy wrote up some notes to give you this morning - I checked it, it's mostly comprehensive - and most of everything else we found is recorded in-"

"Nick," Judy whispered, "no, don't(!)"

The fox glanced down to her, then continued. "Almost everything else we found is recorded in Judy's taper recorder pen."

" _Nick,_ Judy whispered again, " _that bit about your dad: it's still on there!_ "

Only Nick heard what Judy said - Bogo not a mammal designed for good hearing, and Shuck's ability to hear things eroding with age - but this time, Judy was the only one who heard when Nick leaned close to her ear and spoke in response - Bogo watching suspiciously, but unable to hear a word.

"Judy, I know. But I'm over my past now - thanks to you. It doesn't bother me. It doesn't effect me. So," he said, loud enough for the room to hear, "now that we've cleared the fact that the pen is is your pocket and not mine, would you mind handing it over?"

Judy's gaze raised to meet Nick's as she considered what she just heard. It was true he was more comfortable about his past now than he was, but did he really want people like Bogo knowing about it? Then again, it was only one small bit of Nick's past and it wasn't mentioned in any detail, and so, trusting Nick's judgment in the matter more than her own, Judy reached into her pocket, took out the novelty carrot pen which was - in a way - the only reason Nick and herself were lovers now, and handed it over.

"Here, Chief," she said, quietly, "this is everything." Judy took out her notebook form her pocket and made to hand it over. When Bogo's had reached to take it, however, it met resistance.

Bogo's scowling face resolved that, and Judy released the notepad without further comment. He wounded why the rabbit was suddenly blushing, but decided it wasn't worth his time finding out.

Without another word to either three of them, Bogo turned and walked out of the room, leaving nothing but a slightly uncomfortable silence between Judy, Nick... and Shuck.

...

In the coolness of another office, Bogo looked at the pen. He tried to press the play button but his finger was about a dozen times too bit to fit. He tried to slide the tip of a single nail into the gap, but even that was too big to press the button and so he set the device down with a grunt. Resolving just to focus on Judy's notes for the time being, Chief Bogo picked up the tiny notepad and lifted the front page. He stared, expressionlessly, at what he saw scribbled in the margin of that first page.

In orange ink, it appeared, Judy had scribbled down a small, cartoon sketch of Nick. It was a cheerful (though not particularly accurate) depiction of the fox and, written next to it in that same orange ink, was the single word 'Nick'... followed by several 'x's which the buffalo (who was anything _but_ a romantic) guessed were supposed to somehow represent kisses.

The Chief breathed in deeply - moving his mind away from that part of Officer Hopps and Wilde's relationships - and flicked through the various entries as he looked for Judy's most recent one.

The reasons for Judy's blushing quickly became apparent as the Chief flicked through page after page. It appeared the rabbit had turned half of her notepad into authentic notes for investigations and so forth... and the other half into a sketch pad.

He gave her credit - the quality of her drawings had definitely improved over time and had become much more lifelike - depicting scenes of her and Nick holding hands in a field, shearing dinner at a restraint, kissing one another beneath a firework display... and one sketch of particular interest which also apparently involved several cans of alcohol, pawcuffs, and the back of a ZPD cruiser... Bogo (for the first time in his life) shuddered, and quickly turned over to the next page.

He cleared his mind of all thoughts of... 'that kind' as he reached the page titled, 'Investigation of Ladders and Drug Spree'. Bogo's eyes scanned the page's tiny writing. He spotted a problem. Taking out his reading glasses, he settled them over his nose. Still unable to read it, he took them off and held them between his eyes and the page so the image was magnified more. But the writing was too small to make out.

Clearing his throat, Bogo softly shut the book. He thought for a moment, pulled out his mobile phone and entered a number. It rang once, then was answered.

"Savage."

"Sir?"

"Get up here. There's a pen I need you to play to me..."

"Yes, sir."

Bogo raised the pen again, holding it between thumb and forefinger, examining it carefully.

"...and some notes I want you to _read_."


	31. Cometh Dawn: Cometh Dusk

**I must apologize for the delay but I have had trouble attaining an internet connection. Even now, I am privy only to a few minutes of access so I must also beg my pardon to all those whom have either Private Messaged me or written a review but I have no time to make a response. I shall reply on (or about) Saturday the eighth.**

 **Many thanks.  
Smail.**

* * *

From behind the tall mountain peeks which surrounded the city with a wall of tall, jutting stones: the sun had finally risen. The beams of gold shone down - through the picket of jagged rock - and upon the pure blue lake and the luscious green earth.

Obliterating all retirements of cloud, the sunlight bathed all the cityscape of Zootopia in glorious light; its polished glass and gleaming metal shining like flawless crystals, diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds. The cold and stillness of night broken, the city was reborn.

The light of day shone - stimulating the growth of trees and the waking of late-rising mammals - shining its light all through the city, across all the streets and buildings, and in through the upper-floor, glass windowpane of a plainly decorated, rectangular room.

Within sat three occupants. One: a large black dog with shaggy, thick fur and a glass eye. He sat with a hunch upon a chair, his only real eye glinting almost red in the fresh sunlight as he looked upon the two sat before him - far smaller mammals - who shared a single chair which they stood upon rather than sat. One of them, a rabbit, spoke.

"So, Mister Black," she said as she made ready to fill out a witness form, "if you would be so good as to just answer some questions for the paperwork, we can make a start looking into this case. Your first name, please?"

"Shuck. Shuck Black, but most people know me by Black Shuck. And your names, Officers?"

"I'm Officer Hopps," she said politely, "and this is Officer Wilde."

The back dog sat forwards upon the desk. "Wait, 'Hopps', 'Wilde'... _you_ are the Officers assigned to this case?"

"Yes," Nick said, leaning forwards in slight aggravation, already guessing Shuck's response, "is that a problem?"

"I thought small mammals were only used to fill out paperwork. Don't the ZPD have anyone bigger who can handle this?"

"Sir," Judy said, her voice strained a little but still polite, "Wilde and myself are more than capable of investigating whatever requires our attention."

"Officer Hopps is right," Nick continued, "our rate of success easily matches all thous of our fellow officers."

"Well I don't doubt you - I mean, your a fox, you can lye and cheat you way out of any situation - but this _rabbit_ -"

"Mister Black," Nick cut in, allowing his rising temper to show through just a little, "would you mind refraining from directing offensive and speciesist comments towards my partner and telling us what you came here to say. We have a great many things to be getting along with and would prefer it if you could tell us what you know."

The harbormaster met Nick's gaze steadily for a moment. _Perhaps,_ he decided, _they will assign 'real' officers to me once they're satisfied I am not wasting their time._ Then, he leaned back in his chair and spoke. "So, what can I tell you in aid of this _investigation_ of yours?"

"Well, Mister Black," Nick answered, "first, I would be interested in some more details about yourself. For one thing: I notice your accent. You're not from around here, are you?"

"Not originally, no," Shuck answered, "I was born and bred in - well - Zootopia's twin, you might say."

"You mean you're from-"

"Yes."

"Oh. I see."

"When I was sixteen I lied about my age and joined the Merchant Navy. By the time I was seventeen, I'd circled the earth. I had to get away from... there - I didn't have a future in that place - and I'm certainly not going back so, when I got to old for sailin', I settled down here in Zootopia's docks, working night watch to keep me'self busy."

"So," Nick asked, "what's living in Zi-"

Shuck warning gaze held his.

"What's living in... _that_ place really like? I've heard a lot of rumours about it, but I thought that was all just myth."

Shuck lent back in his chair, leaning back from the beam of light entering through the window and into slight shade - his black fur and coat hiding his form, only a single, deep brown eye glinting. "Lets just say there ain't many living there who can make something of 'emselves - any attempt to better yourself is trod down - and leaving that place when I could was the best decision I ever made."

"How bad is it?" Nick said, his voice low, "Really?"

Judy glanced between Nick and Shuck as the fox's gaze held the dog's. She wouldn't admit it in fount of Shuck, but this was going over her head - she knew what Zootopia's twin city was, certainly - but, as far as she knew, that was a lovely place to live.

Shuck broke his gaze and looked off to the side, breaking the standoff. "I didn't come here to discuss me past, Officer Wilde, I came here to warn you about the drug shipment."

There was silence for a moment. The rabbit glanced up to Nick, who nodded to her to show he was finished with his line of questioning. Then, Judy sat back in her chair, her arms folding across her chest. "You can start," she said, "by giving us a rundown of what happened at the harbor last night."

The dog looked from one to the other slowly. He was a traditional sort of mammal - brought up on little more than chores and 'healthy beatings' like all children once were, back in the good old days - and he simply didn't have it in him to believe these... _small_ , animals had it in them to operate efficiently in situations like this. These were, however, the officers which had been assigned to him.

"Very well," he began, "I am ready to tell you what I know on the matter."

Judy nodded, and Shuck begin his recollection on the past nights activates.

"It was just past eleven o'clock - or thereabouts anyway - and my shift on night watch had just begun..." The Harbormaster spoke on. His story started at the beginning, continued until it came to the end and then stopped, as all good stories must, with the blue-gray and red mammals listening to his words intently.

...

The sun shone on through many'a window, behind each of which was a story unfurling. Some mundane and common, others bizarre and unexpected. Some are totally independent, playing out as they would regardless of all other events. Others were different. Others were so tightly bound to the tales of other creatures, that one simple difference in what happened and how they behaved had the ability to utterly sway what the other was doing.

One such story which the all-seeing light of sun was gazing upon, was playing out but one floor below where Judy and Nick dwelt. Had the fox and the rabbit been more careful with their new found status; had they been less forthcoming with the information they had found; had Nick been unable to accept Judy into his life: then the conversation playing out between buck and buffalo might be quite different - or not happening at all.

Chief Bogo flipped the blinds closed and the sunlight which lit the room turned from a square of luminescence to but a few dozen narrow strips of light which lay, thin and stretched, across the stark table and plain floor of the small interrogation room the cape buffalo now occupied.

He sat down at the desk again, gazing blankly at the space in fount of him as the gray, black-striped rabbit continued reading out loud to Bogo from Judy's notes. Bogo lent forwards and rested his head on his chin in thought. Jack knew, however, his thoughts were not on the matter at hand.

"Sir? Sir, are you paying attention?" Bogo didn't react. Jack shut the rabbit-sized book with a small thump which was enough to break the buffalo from his trance.

"Yes, Agent Savage?" he started, quickly.

"You don't seem quite yourself, sir. Your mind is somewhere else. Would I be mistaken - I ask you - in suggesting your mind is preoccupied by Wilde and Hopps' romantic involvement?"

Bogo gazed up at the clock on the wall, using that as an excuse not to look the rabbit in the eye.

"Let me give you a hint," Jack added, "...I'm not mistaken."

The buffalo's eyes moved and snapped to look at Jack. He was right. _Of course he was right, damn it._ Sitting back a little, Bogo rubbed his forehead as he said, "I don't know what to think, Savage. This... _thing_ between Officers Hopps and Wilde: is it natural? Is it right?"

Savage leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he considered. "Is it natural?" he said at length, "no, not at all. Not it any way, shape or form is it natural for a rabbit to be romantically involved with a fox... but, is it _right_?" he continued, leaning forwards, "well, that's a different question entirely."

"You're saying you agree with their pairing?"

"On paper, no. In 'real life'... yes." He shrugged, arms still crossed. "But what do I know? I'm a spy, not a marriage councilor. But so long as their happy with each other, I say, who gives a toss? It's just love; unlikely pares have fallen in love before."

"Yes, but those 'pares' tend to be different in social standings, _not_ different in species or - while we're on the matter - different food groups."

"They are happy," he repeated. He opened up Judy's notebook and started flicking back through the pages. "Sir, just look at all these drawings Officer Hopps has made over the year. That's not something you do unless you're very much 'into' someone."

Bogo raised an eyebrow. Jack hadn't even battered an eyelid when he first saw the drawings and the Chief just assumed he hadn't noticed them. But then again, Savage rarely battered an eyelid, no matter how surprising something might be... and there was also the face: Savage noticed _everything_.

"Clearly," the rabbit continued, "Officer Hopps has been romantically interested in Wilde - whether she knew it or not - for a long time. Actually, I'd have to say," he added, flicking to the first page, "...since within a week of meeting him, interestingly."

A small smiled played on Bogo's face. He had always known the two of them were interested with one another. It wasn't that he didn't like the fact they were different species - _that_ wasn't really the problem. He gazed off to the side and breathed heavily as he spoke, "It all comes down to Wilde's part in this. My minds running like a gyroscope at the moment. One half of my head is incredulous he's as clean as a freshly scrubbed bathtub, and the other half insists he's in it up to his neck." He lent forwards in the chair, pinching the bridge of his nose. "And then the first half accuses the second half of being speciesist and the second half calls the first ignorant, the accusations get louder in volume, then the two halves get into a row and start shouting at each other. It remands me," he groaned, bitterly, "...it reminds me of my ex-wife."

He chuckled, dryly, then continued, "When I first saw Wilde, I was about ready to tare him apart for - _as I thought at the time_ \- taking advantage of one of my Officers. Now, this anger wasn't because he was a fox and Hopps a rabbit, but because I believed with every fiber of my spirit he was criminally involved and that it is my _duty_ to protect _**my**_ _Officers_ from that kind of harm. But then the part of me that thinks him innocent kicked in and seconds later I was telling myself that there was no proof and that he was innocent in it all. I can't make up my mind, and so my mind makes it up for me. The problem is, it can never agree for more than a few minutes at a time and it changes its mind continuously."

"So it's a matter," Jack asserted,"not of their species which concerns you, but of Wilde's questionable lawfulness?"

"Savage," Bogo said, flatly, "if you can convince me Wilde is innocent as I hope he is, I will have nothing _what so ever_ against him and Officer Hopps becoming romantically involved - so long as they get their work done, that is. But, up until that time, it is nothing less that my _**duty**_ to take precautionary steps to protect _my_ Officers from potential threats."

Savage smiled. He rested his clasped hands on the table and sat forwards. "Let us, therefore, examine what we already know, sir, and do that which we can to draw this investigation to an end."

Bogo nodded. If he had heard of Wilde and Hopps' becoming that way involved all but a week ago, he would have been happy to hear it - more than happy - but now, with an unsolved murder on his hands and literally a heap of illegal drugs on his doorstep, and with Wilde apparently the only suspect as the owner of the murder weapon... he had no choice but to be suspicious.

"It will not be long now - the ending," Bogo said, grimly. "We know the crime, we know the income, we know where at least one of there bases of operation are set up and once we locate Nyilas, we'll have the whole operation shut down." He grinned. "I feel the drawstring pulling the net tight around those who would do this city harm. The ending," he repeated, "will not, be long, now."

A dry voice cut into his assurance. "I would not be so sure, sir," Jack said, "this operation seems far too large for only one mammal to manage and I suspect there is more than just Nyilas at the top. And remember, we may knew the drugs come into Zootopia through the docks, but, from where are they grown? No, sir, it is my belief that _this_ story... may be far from over."

"A chilling thought, Savage," the Chief muttered in reply, "one which I hope holds no greater baring than mere hearsay."

"To whatever end, sir. To _whatever_ end."

...

 _The sun shone on as it rose through the sky... yet it was not everywhere that the sun was rising._

In another place - far from the city of Zootopia and from the heat and light of the rising sun - a gray figure stood in the darkness, silhouetted against the dusty horizon as the very last drip of sunlight vanished into night.

The air close to the ground shimmered with heat, but the desert sands cooled swiftly after sundown, and already a chill wind was rising, driving away the hot, muggy air that hung about the city during the day.

The streets were mostly empty, the last of the public rushing to their homes before the biting chill of night set in.

This was the twin city to Zootopia: where the streets were narrow and paved with nothing but dust and muck, where the hours were long and the pay meager, where cubs as young as six worked long hours to buy their bread, where families had a choice between keeping fed and keeping warm; where an honest man would suffer great loss for his decency, and yet a lier and a cheat could pave his way in gold. Zistopia. Where the crows fed on the corpses of those who had starved to death, and the living ate of whatever they could find - bugs, arachnids, birds - there were no prey mammals here. All had... 'disappeared' many years ago.

A single long road lead up to Zistopia, a great long and narrow road which dipped and twisted like an empty wasteland through the endless dunes of the desert sands. The city itself was mostly shacks and small huts, built from drystone or corrugated metal. Simple buildings. Simple, squalid buildings which neither kept its occupants cool during the day, nor retained any amount of heat overnight.

The only source of water or fruit within over a thousand miles around was circle of green oasis in its center, around which, was built a wall of shimmering, white marble - thick and tall, and guarded day and night by armed guards who jealously protected the only greenery in the whole desert from the commoners who received only miserly rations for all their hard labor.

The city of Zistopia may be vast as Zootopia, but it was anything but 'great' for the only structure of any magnificence was to be found in the center; towering imperiously over all else, unequaled by any structure (by man or by God), in the center of a vast desert, amidst a wide city of squalid huts, within the confines of a white, marble wall and surrounded by the only luscious earth around - stood the Lord's Royal Tower.

Rising many stories above every other structure in the city, the Lord's Royal Tower was all hand carved from a single piece of great, black marble. A single stake - a vast black nail - hammered into the heart of the earth, the tower's looming arrogance and vastness was a humbling and fear-inspiring sight to all who gazed upon it.

Within this sharp piece of jutting rock was to be found great treasure, and - so the rumours said - some very inventive torture chambers... of course, none of this could be proved... and as far as the rest of the world knew, Zistopia was a just fine place to live - thanks to some very careful propaganda on The Lord's part.

Oh yes... a Lord. Zistopia had no simple Mayor to tend to its needs, it had a Lord.

One third up this towering spike of black upon the earth, was a balcony cut into the rock. The gray figure inhaled the crisp air, gazing slowly around all that he might, his breath leaving his lips as a thin vapor in the air which dropped by degrees with every passing moment.

An ear twitched. Sharp, intelligent eyes picking up movement in the empty streets, the figure's gaze was drawn downwards towards the earth, to one of the more squalid parts of the city. Movement. A chase. A small bear-cub of no more than twelve was fleeing through the narrow streets of the city below. In his paw was clutched an apple, and chasing behind, two palace guards.

From his vantage point above, He saw the bear-cub leap and climb a low brick wall, left into another thin street, and right into an alley. The cub was, admittedly, doing rather well... but the chase for the stolen apple would be over soon... and the punishment dealt.

The sight didn't interest Him. You could see that kind of thing thirty times a day in this city.

No, of all the sights and luxuries that surrounded him, the gray figure found more interest in the parapet of his balcony then all that. He rubbed a padded hand across its time-smoothed sides. Made from the same single stone as the rest of the jutting piece of rock, it was finely and ornately carved. He liked this tower a great deal. In daylight hours - with the hot sun shining upon the nigh endless miles of sand - the black stone reflected the light and shone like the white surf of the sea - but come nightfall - it faded again, to be as black as the night sky, blending seamlessly with the shadows, as to be almost invisible to an outside observer.

Bold when in daylight;nonchalant in shadow. This is how He lived his life.

With a start, he moved and turned from the sight to return to the inside of his dwelling. He did this in one part because of the sharpness of the wind which was now beginning to pick up... and because the child was now screaming in agony, one of his hands now cut off for theft by the palace guards who caught him.

The city had been better once - more free of poverty and death - but that had all changed since He came into power. They once operated with Mayors too, but He had soon seen to that.

People had disagreed with His self-proclaimed 'Lordship' to start with, but such people often wound up in some kind of hideous accident and, over the years, the public had learnt it was simply best not to argue... for their live's sake. And now,He was allowed to drain every penny he could from the city and into his own hand and, as he did so, the city slowly withered and died. Though it was not out of mere greed or spite he wished to disembowel the city, no. His goal was far... greater.

This land was all dust and sand. This land was infertile. This land was cold at night and stifling in the day. And this land was mocked by its better-off twin. This land - His land - was ever in the shadow of a better, greater city... and He would never be content until he called the city of Zootopia His own.

He paced soundlessly across the polished floor towards a mahogany chair and sat back into it easily. He sat forwards upon the table and pulled a heavy, black rotary dial telephone over towards himself. He picked up the bakelite receiver, and spoke.

"Secretary Appleby, get in touch with my contacts in Zootopia; get Nyilas on the phone." His voice was soft and smooth as silk - the kind of voice you could become lost in - with a musical quality and a lightness that made his speech a joy to listen to... and all but impossible to want to disobey. "And run me a bath," he continued, raising his feet leisurely onto the expensive table, "I need to scrub myself from the filth of this city."


	32. Omen Befallen at Bull Pen

Like a streak of lightening the door at the fount end of the bull pen burst open and the impending and inexorable form of Chief Bogo stormed in. The officers who had started jeering at his coming were silenced by the very manor of his presence. All officers' attention was drawn, instantly and without question, to their chief. All from the largest elephant, to the smallest rabbit... even Nick was viably struck by the appearance.

"Officers," he boomed, all eyes upon him, "this drug spree ends now, right here, right this moment. It will not be an easy task, and I grant you, there will doubtless be splinter groups who will carry on importing and selling drugs until the last are cadded out. However, by dusk tonight, _you_ \- the finest damn officers in all Zootopia... in all _Zophon!_ \- will have brought down the crushing blow upon the heads of those responsible. With the information provided by a key witness, Mister Black, and the deft detective work of Officers Hopps and Wilde, we now know all we need to know to make our pinnacle move against them." His voice became lower yet more powerful and moving as he lent down upon his desk.

"This," he continued, "has been the largest single threat to Zootopia in recorded history. Not since before the forming of the Reformation of Species Pred/pray for Cultural Amalgamation - which declared all mammals equal and foreboded the eating of the small by the large - when this world was torn by constant war between the ruling races, have the shadow of a threat such as this been lain across our city. The damage they have caused is immeasurable: not only from spreading addictions throughout the populous, but of draining this city's financial resources and of impairing its active work force.

"The sheer volume of illegal substance entering this city is immense. The amount of people required to farm and ship and sell the drugs must be enormous, and the amount of wealth whatever heathen runs this operation has gained must be tremendous. I admit," he added grimly, "the odds do not appear to be in your favor. We may know the name of a mammal high up, one 'Victor Nyilas', but we know very little more than that and yet..." a strong smile grew on his face, "we _still_ have the advantage. And the advantage is right in here with me. _You_." Briskly, Bogo moved from behind his desk and stood before all his officers, addressing them with might and main.

"They don't just hand out police badges in school Lucky Bags, after all! And I know every last one of you has worked your guts out to be where you are today. I am proud of you. Very proud, of all of you. No matter how large this _gang_ is, they are merely in passing. _This_ \- structured, secure civilization - is set in stone. And you - each and every one, unanimously and without exception - are its guardians." Bogo stood to his full height, his voice rising louder than they had ever heard it before. "Guardians, you hear me?"

 _"Yes sir!"_ the room cheered.

"And who do you protect?"

 _"Zootopia!"_

"Who, do you, protect?"

 _"_ _ **Zootopia!**_ _"_

"Okay! Now then," he boomed, quieting the cheering, "confidence speech over; time for the facts. Three days ago - Tuesday - the abandoned industrial building, Ladders and Ladders and Co, sustained heavy damage from fire. For the following evening and the morning of the next day, I had Officers Hopps and Wilde investigate this outbreak. Together, they found traces of an alcoholic fire accelerator and some form of incendiary device. Alongside that," he added, feigning cheerfulness, "a body. So well done Hopps and Wilde." Bogo stopped and picked up the report on the fire which included what Judy had written.

"Our forensics team, and the Officers of the Murder Investigation Bureau, established that the fennec fox killed at the scene was either knelt on the floor at the time, or shot by a larger mammal. The bullet," he continued, holding his hoof in a gun shape in the reliant place, "entered the skull around about 'here' and made egress through either the left or right eye - where it then became impaled in the opposite wall - which was later discovered by an M.I.B. Officer and identified as a bullet shot from a Ruger SR1911 Master Edition." Reaching into a draw, he took out an old technical photograph of what Judy instantly recognized to be Nick's gun.

"The Ruger SR ME," Bogo continued, "is the only gun of its kind ever made, yet sadly," he lied, "the owner of this gun has not yet been ascertained." Bogo paused for a moment and watched Nick's face out of the corner of his eye; the fox didn't even bat an eyelid. Bogo breathed in a long breath - what else could he expect from a fox? - and started slowly pacing as he continued his speech.

"Also worthy of note about the fire at ladders, is that a window was smashed in by a rock for the arsonist to gain access to the building before the door was unlocked from the inside, and some larges pieces of wood were piled up on the forth floor to bury the corps in and for fuel. However, the window pain would have only allowed a small sized mammal access into the building, and yet the size of some of the pieces of wood moved would have required a large mammal - so at least two arsonists are suspected - probably more." The findings of the investigation at Ladders concluded, Bogo set down the report.

"Under most conditions," he continued, "that would have been the end of it and this fire would never have been connected with the drug spree currently in operation. However, Officer Wilde picked up the scent of a fennec fox whom he recognized. Believing it to be this person, Hopps and Wilde then found and questioned  
the fox, Finnick - who was once a close friend of Officer Wilde," he added, glancing to Nick. Bogo thought he noticed something odd in the brief glance he gave and looked back to the fox a second time, and his gaze slowly hardened on him as he took in what it was.

He was sat there on the chair next to Judy - his aviator shades back on to hide his black eye - with nothing more than a smug grin on his face... holding paws with Judy under the table. He didn't actually have to see their hands, Bogo could tell just by the angle of their arms and the blush on the rabbits face. _He was so damn cocky_. Bogo gaze turned stormy; Nick's grin started to fall.

...

"You do realize, sir, that Officer Nick Wilde may be the very man we seek who is in charge of this drug operation."

"What," Bogo answered in disbelieving, the volume of his voice growing as he spoke, "you mean the mastermind behind it all: the mammal in charge of importing shipments of drugs from another country; the administrator behind organizing and facilitating the movement of drugs from shipment to warehouse to dealer; the supreme supervisor," he shouted, "of a multi-bloody-billion dollar criminal operation... who still has time to work five days a week as a copper!?"

Jack's gaze fell to the table he and Bogo were sat either side of. _That statement did seem a little far-fetched, even to him._ Bogo sat back in his chair and looked disinterestedly around the sparsely furnished and whitewashed walls of the small interrogation room he and Savage occupied.

"I think, sir," Jack said, softly, "we can be fairly sure Wilde is most definitely not at the _head_ of the operation. But I do believe he is in some way connected."

"Pish-tosh. Don't talk rot."

"Let is, sir," he said, trying to calm him, "take a step back form this, shall we? Let us examine purely the _facts_ of the operation."

Bogo realized he was getting to involved and becoming 'irrational'. "Well be quick about it, Savage," he said, glancing to the clock, "I have to get down to roll call in five minutes."

"Let's take a look at these in purely chronological order, sir. First, We know that he had direct access to his fathers supply of drugs on the night of his death-"

"Officer Wilde was never under suspicion for the death of his father!"

"And yet," he countered, "the fact remains true. ~before," he continued from where he had left off, "rather uncharacteristically going to an up 'til late party, despite the fact, when questioned at the time, his mother said he rarely left the house accept when he had to."

"What are you saying," Bogo shot, impatiently, "that Wilde spiked his fathers drug supply to intentionally give him an overdose, before heading to a party for a conveniently provable alibi?"

"Why not?"

Bogo brought his face close to Jack's. "He, was, seventeen."

There was silence for several seconds as Jack gazed calmly into Bogo's blazing eyes. The rabbit waited a moment for the emotion and confrontation to fade form his face, and for Bogo to sit back in his chair as he had been, before replying, "This is merely a stating of the facts as we know them... sir."

"And these ' _facts_ '," Bogo grumbled, "seem to be very much _against_ Officer Wilde."

"I would be willing to accept these may just be unfortunate coincidences, sir," he said slowly, "if you would willing to likewise accept that these they might also be criminal acts performed by Wilde intentionally."

"Believe him capable of thoughtless murder? And yet capable of falling in love with Officer Hopps?"

"If our fears are recognized and Wilde truly is the unsavory character he could be, his relationship with Hopps is - to him - nothing more than a display of emotional power. It may be he feels no real fondness or attraction to Judy Hopps - beyond a sexual one, that is - and that he merely he wishes to show dominance over her."

"God damn you Jack," Bogo huffed, "I thought you you were with me on the idea of the two of them being together. Must you always stand completely against how I feel?"

"If I want you to equally consider both sides of the argument, yes, sir."

Bogo squinted. "You mean you intentionally and actively stand against what I believe to make me think harder on the subject?"

"Yes, sir. If I merely agreed with whatever you said, you may reach a conclusion quicker, but you would never have considered the matter in such depth, would you?"

"...I thought you were just being an arse."

A thin smile grew on Jack's face. "That too... sir. Of course the most damning piece of evidence is that this Frank character - if that is indeed his name - was murdered by the very gun in Wilde's position."

"One of _two_ guns, Savage. We haven't located the other yet."

"The other," he countered, "which just happens to have belonged to Wilde's former romantic partner - Scarlett - who, incidentally, was violently murdered one night several years ago and whom, coincidentally, Wilde just happened to be suspect number one of, for a _second_ time."

"We may not consider Wilde as Scarlett's murderer," Bogo shot, "that charge was dropped _many_ years ago now."

"Only due to lack of evidence, sir, _not_ due to proof of innocence."

"He never so much as went to court."

"But he was jailed for her murder."

"Provisionally only."

Jack tutted and slumped back in his chair. _If Bogo isn't even prepared to listen to my suggestions, why am I_ _even here?_

"Remind me again," Bogo said, tiresomely, "why it is we're hiding the fact we know there are two guns and that one of them belongs to Wilde?"

"Simple," Jack said, "it's so he doesn't _know_ he's under suspicion. Call me speciesest if you must, but Wilde - being both a fox and an experienced hustler - could more than easily cover his tracks with such skill that even _I_ would be hard-pushed to discover if he's been misbehaving. But if he isn't aware he's being watched... he doesn't know to watch his tread."

Bogo gazed down at the table, thoughtfully. At heart, he still didn't like the sound of any of this, and yet, he knew he was bound by _law_ to continue to investigate the fox's involvement. "You don't... you don't suppose it could be a set up? You know, to frame Wilde."

A single, dry laugh left the rabbit's lips. "I can think of easier ways of framing someone, sir," he chuckled in reply, a grin upon his face, "I mean, if I wanted to frame someone, I'd probably just stab the guy's lover, hide the murder weapon in his house alongside some letters from her address to another man to make it look like she was having an affair, and let the whole thing look like an act of passion! I think the whole 'criminal drug shipment of epic proportions' is a little bit _overkill_ for the sake of incriminating one officer."

Bogo sighed and sat back in his chair, looking off the the side. He gazed out through one of the thin cracks in the lowered blinds, out thought the window, beyond which he could see the glistening city and the harsh light of the sun as it climbed ever-higher through the morning sky. Jack watched him with dulled interest.

Bogo looked across the room to the clock on the wall. "I have to go," he said, standing, "role-call starts _now_."

"Sir," Jack called, "one more word."

Bogo paused and half turned to the rabbit, stood half way between the interrogation room and the corridor.

"Bogo, when all is said and done Officers Ho-" Jack sighed, "Nick and Judy are still - as you yourself said - the very best officers in the ZPD. Now Nick may - or may not - be innocent, but either way, at this pinnacle point in the investigation of the drug spree... and Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps working together on this may be the final push needed to bring this gang to an end." Savage lent forwards on the table, earnestly. "You _must_ continue to use Wilde in this case. Or else all may slip through your fingers."

Bogo stood in silence for several moments before nothing more than two small words left his lips. "Thanks, Jack." The door closed; it shut soundlessly behind him.

With an airy sigh, Jack lent back low in his chair. He raised his arms and rested his hands behind his head, his legs coming up to rest on the table. Jack stared blankly at the whitewash wall as he thought - the cogs in his mind ever-turning.

...

Bogo brought his mind back from his recollections. Nick's smug smirch had shriveled to a nervous frown, and Judy had gone from just holding his paw to hugging his arm protectively with a nervous frown of her own.

Opening his mouth, Bogo spoke, slowly. "The findings... of this...~" He found his throat dry - the result of too much talking and not enough sleep (and just one too many celebratory glasses of brandy). He paced back to his desk and poured a glass of water - the room watching his movements as he tipped back the large glass. He set it down on the counter with a dull _thunk_ before starting again.

"The findings of this interview were recorded upon Officer Hopps' famous carrot pen. During questioning, Finnick - real name, Finnegan Depesdo - reviled a number of important facts which would otherwise gone unknown. Firstly, the identity of the murder victim. It is impossible to 'official' identify the murder victim due to the saver damage caused by the fire itself, however, Finnegan's brother, Frankfurt, appears to be the most likely candidate. Not only was Mister Depesdo able to provide us with the victim's identity, but of his movements also. When asked, Finnick claimed his long-estranged brother had come to him asking for one thousand pounds to purchase a crate of illegal substance - cheap, to sell on for a high profit - from the disused industrial building, Ladders and Ladders... and you don't need me to point out there's a connection." A few officers chuckled; Bogo silenced them with a look.

"If true, this suggests that this drug operation uses a number of key buildings - 'hives', if you will - which act as a centerpoint to sell drugs off to independent drug dealers (who will then sell them on to drug users) rather then standing on the street selling them to the individual themselves. In essence, its the same kind of operation that car manufacturers tend to have. Car manufactures make cars yet they do not deal with selling the cars off to the public themselves, instead, they sell them en mass to major car dealers and salesmen, leaving the middlemen to deal with selling to the public."

Bogo lent back on the side of his desk, resting his palms on the table behind him as he talked. "Owing, once again, to information provided by Mister Black, we now know that there are ten such 'hives' currently in operation - including Ladders and Ladders which may or may not yet have a replacement. After Black... 'questioned' the coyote apparently in charge of important drugs from the shipment, he was informed the name of another one of the ten Hives was the company Erkin Enterprise - which I have already checked on the police database - and appears to be a perfectly legitimate busies. But we'll soon see just _how_ legitimate tonight ~

"Now, in accordance with the murder of Frank, it is my belief, that he was killed by those in command of selling drugs at Ladders after he threatened them with blackmail. In other words, he demanded he be given a discount or else he would give incriminating evidence over to the police - and if he didn't return - a friend would do it for him. I suspect the drug traffickers then proceeded to kill Frank and then burn down the factory - wiping away all evidence of drug sales - and covering themselves should this 'friend of Frank' try handing the incriminating evidence over to us: the ZPD. However, they have helped us in this more than harmed us, as the number of dealings in that area has been reduced to zilch since it burnt down - more or less proving it _was_ \- in fact - a Hive for further drug sales. We are yet to identify the other eight Hives, but it is my hope we will find out some names and locations when we raid Erkin tonight."

Bogo paused for a moment to allow that statement to settle. He stood from leaning on his desk and moved to be stood directly before all his officers. "So, to sum up, we know how and why the victim at Ladders and Ladders was murdered. We know where the drugs enter city from and how they are sold. We know the location of one of only nine remaining Hives in operation, and we know the name of the crook in charge - Victor Nyilas. Today, we will scramble to find out as much information as we can about this operation and its surrounding network - including, hopefully, where these drugs are grown and shipped from, and if Nyilas truly is at the top. Then this evening, at five thirty, we will storm Erkin Enterprises, and show those drug runners just what it means to go against the Cops of the ZPD."

Reaching behind him, Bogo swiftly picked up the five documents which he handed to the officers in question. "Trunkaby, McHorn, Fangmeyer and Delgato: I want the four of you patrolling the city docks. Another shipment so soon is highly unlikely, but I want each of you to search the harbor with a fine-tooth comb. Keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior and see if there's any way of finding out where that shipment of drugs originated from.

"Snarlov, Wolfard; you two are to go back to Frankfurt Depesdo's house and _tare_ the place apart. If my suspicions are correct, somewhere in there, is proof that drugs were being bought and sold from Ladders and Ladders. Take a truck with you; confiscate all his belongings for forensic examination.

"Grizzoli, Rhinowitz, Higgins; a simple job for you three - find out who the hell this Nyilas character is. Check the police database, go down to city council, check the parish records - I don't care how you find him - just get everything you can on this... _whatever_ species he is by five o'clock or you'll be on parking duty for the remaining duration of this case!"

At hearing the added threat, the three officers concerned rushed to get out the door first - barging past the other officers in their bid to avoid the ZPD's second worse job. Bogo's voice stopped them - stopped everyone - as it called out again.

"One more note before you get to your assignments, you're to keep _away_ from Erkin Enterprise itself, understand? They _cannot_ know we are organizing a raid for this evening. If their willing to torch the place just for the sake of one independent mammal, just think what they'd be willing to do if they knew we were coming. And one more thing," he shouted as the last of them left, "I want everyone back here - in full tactical armor - for a raid on Erkin Enterprise by five PM _sharp_. Any questions, okay," he said before anyone could ask, "lets role out!"

The last of the officers made to rush out in hurried excitement, leaving only three mammals in the bull pen.

"And last," the Chief took in a long breath to calm himself, "but definitely not least - Officers Hopps... and Wilde."

His gaze lingered on the fox a moment longer than necessary before Bogo pulled himself away. _Steps are being taken,_ he told himself, _whether Wilde is dirty or innocent, it is imperative at this moment that I have all hands working for the raid tonight.  
_  
"I need all my officers. But for this mission I need my best. And I need to be able to trust both of you entirely. I have to let myself..." Bogo became aware he was mostly talking to himself now - confusing Nick and Judy who were watching with some small concern. Grunting, Bogo moved behind his desk and sat down as he spoke.

"Officers. Together, the two of you have made more headway with this case then I even begin to think was possible. You have shown endless energy in persuading and discovering more proof and insight into how the drug runners operate in this city. All that we now know, would not have been possible, without your aid. I am not ashamed to admit it: I am indebted to you. _Both_ of you."

Judy's ears were already pricking up at the compliment. That was praise of the highest order from Bogo. Even Nick appeared visibly pleased.

"But, I must sadly ask you to do one more... rather dangerous, mission for me. I have - as you now know - everything in place I need to perform the raid on Erkin except for one thing... a warrant. As it stands, we are lacking the proof of probable cause I need to get us a search warrant justified. If I am to convince the judge to give written consensus to enter a public building of this nature, I need some hard evidence. I need someone on the inside."

It clicked with Judy first; she lent forwards on the table, keeping one paw firmly held in Nick's as she asked, "into... into the lion's den? I thought you told everyone to stay away from Erkin in case they suspected we'd be raiding them later."

"Yes, Hopps, I know. And if you and Wilde were _not_ the very best officers in my employment I would never ask you to do so now. However, you _are_ the best, and I believe the two of you are capable of getting proof of the kind of operation their running."

Judy looked down at the table. She braced herself, took in a small breath, and reminded herself she was an Officer of the ZPD, and that it was her duty to stand strong as the force of justice between the innocent and the sinful. The life of a police officer _was_ a dangerous one. She had to do this. She released Nick's and and placed her paws on the table. "What would you have us do?"

"Your instructions are in this file," Bogo said, leaning back in his chair and slapping down the document on top of two sheets of paper - two sheets of paper which he was careful to make sure were covered by the file so Judy only saw it after picking the file up.

Judy slipped down from her and Nick's shared chair and onto the floor. She paced over towards Bogo's desk and Nick, likewise, hopped down onto the floor - but staying where he was.

Leaping up onto a second chair, Judy's head came level with the top of Bogo's desk. Bogo pushed the file to the edge of the desk - the two pieces of paperwork still beneath it - and Judy picked up the file while thanking him. She spotted the paperwork beneath; instinctively, her eye was drawn towards it.

There were two of them - two legal forms. At the top of each page was written, in pen, a name. One one: Judith L. Hopps, on the other, Nicholas P. Wilde. She scanned the page. It was all filled in - everything - with the signature of the chief of police scribbled at the bottom. Her expression rose to look at Bogo - his face as stony and impassive as ever.

"Whatcha got there, Carrots," Nick said with forced cheerfulness as he paced over to see what had caused the rabbit to freeze up in such a way. The fox climbed up onto the table beside her; Nick's face froze as he saw what it was.

Bogo took in a long breath. "Read it out," he prompted.

Judy blinked, looking back down to the page. "Application for Police Learning and Development Program (IPLDP), leading to Level 3 Diploma in Policing (QCF) training for promotion to..." Judy stared at the word... "for promotion to Detective Inspector?"

Judy's gaze slowly rose to meet Bogo's, stunned by the implication.

Bogo smiled, thinly. "You get us that warrant," he said, "and I may even think about sending them off for approval."

Nick glanced between Judy and Bogo. Hey may not have liked the idea of his lover being put in any more danger than was absolutely necessary, but this was Judy's _dream_ \- and skipping the rank of Inspector to go straight to Detective Inspector? - that was no mean feat. This had to be done.

"We'll do whatever it takes, sir," Nick said, both mammals looking over to him as he slipped his shaded glasses off his nose and winked, "you can count on us."

Bogo nodded, Judy saluted and the two officers made egress from the room.

Bogo sat back in his desk, slowly, gazing down at the two Policing Diploma training applications before him, the fox's last words ringing around and around his head.

"I hope so," he said out loud. "I sincerely hope so."

* * *

 **Due to the sheer amount of information pumped into this chapter - whilst trying to be in keeping with that characters - I believe this was the most exhaustive chapter to write thus far.**

 **This chapter is, in essence, a reference point for readers to come to and revise what is known so far without having to trawl through 100,000 words to find the fact their after.**

 **It is possible, however, (owing to the great volume of information herein) that I have forgotten something or left something out. All main facts should be present, however, if there is something I have missed that you have spotted, would you be so kind as to let me know.**

 **Many thanks,**  
 **Mister Smail.**


	33. Behold, in Darkness

The rising moon cast its pail light upon the shadows and cold sands of the desert earth. The black spike of the Lord's Royal Tower glowed faintly like a ghostly apparition in the cold, blue light. Through the high, black doors which operated on the backs of large, cast iron hinge, lay an intertwined and complex system of narrow halls and labyrinthine corridors.

The design of the Tower - its tall and narrow construction - prevented its long-forgotten builders from calving rooms of any great width or depth, and so the rooms were small yet many, with high ceilings tall enough for mammals of any size, and often calved in peculiar shapes to allow other halls and corridors to fit neatly beside them - without breaking into an opposing room or, worse still, chipping an unfixable gap in the side of the tower.

The corridors of this Tower were long and winding - with slopes and spiral staircases - which slipped like serpents between rooms and other corridors; an unmappable, complex maze of rooms and stairways. Few could navigate they way from point A to point B without becoming lost. Only one knew the lay of the whole place off by heart.

The craftsmen who built the tower over an age ago had been faultless in their construction. In over a thousand occasions, the slightest of errors on the part of the builder would have spoiled the overall effect - two corridors may not have joined up, the floor of a room may have been tilted off center, the hall of one room may have come too close to the hall of another and broken through - yet all was carved to perfection.

The Lord's Royal Tower was, at one time, alive and busy with the comings and goings of the Republic of the City Council who once administrated the city of Zistopia... before _He_ had come. Before the dark times had befell. Before 'The Master' took matters into his own hands.

The gray-clad figure's foot came upon the last, black step of a long, black staircase. He reached out a soft hand and parted the tall, black doors with a single push; the doors swept back without complaint, accepting without question the will of its master's hand.

The Lord of Zistopia stepped from the cold of the corridor into the warm, steamy air of the Royal Tower's bath chamber as Sir Appleby - secretary, valet and butler to Zistopia's Lord and all His domestic affairs - nodded to Him in acknowledgment and then poured another bucket of steaming water into the wide, circular bathtub which had been calved into a piece of elevated rock many aeons ago.

The tale, male badger stepped back respectfully from the full bathtub to allow his Master to enter - wordlessly informing the Lord his bath was ready.

He _liked_ Appleby: he knew his place and he kept himself to himself. He would obey any order given and was always apt and efficient in his doing of the task, and would glide noiseless out of the room to perform it. The very calmness and infallible logic with which his mind worked in had always been of credit to the Lord's own sharp mind, but what he liked most, was that there was far more to the badger than met the eye.

Further, he always kept neat and clean - dressing each day in what would be best described as the traditional valet's outfit (dark suit, spotless white shirt, crisply pressed trousers) - and never allowed a spot of much to linger anywhere in the building for long before sweeping it efficiently away.

But one of the finest things about Sir Appleby, was that he always seemed to know exactly what was going on. There was a time when the Lord had been disturbed by this, and had taken precautionary steps to have him... 'erased', but as the years passed on, He came to understand, Sir Appleby's loyalty lay with the Lord of Zistopia, and the Lord of Zistopia only.

Zistopia's Lord stepped towards the steaming pool of water and slipped his moonlight-gray bathrobe from his shoulders and handed it over to Appleby who folded it with expert ease - unabashed by the fact his Master was now stood naked before him. No, that old badger had seen many worse things over the years and was far too much a professional to so much as bat an eyelid anyway.

The sleek body of Zistopia's lord was toned, and shimmered in the soft light. His jet-black fur was as smooth as the voice which emanated from the lips which parted to reveal shining white teeth. His eyes were bright and shone with the glittering color of gold. His hands were swift and dexterous. He was a panther, his fur, black as Death Itself. He walked and moved with a kind of sophisticated charm, and held the manner and air of one who knew he could never be bested. One who knew _He_ held all the cards.

The Lord of Zistopia breathed contentedly as he stepped into the watery heat. He sat, ran the pad of a black paw across one arm, and grimaced at the numerous grains of sand dislodged from his usually smooth fur. Reaching out, he picked up a scrubbing brush, and started roughing the sand from his fur with the bristles.

"Sir," said Appleby, his voice - not humourless, precicely - but dry and perfectly logical, "Mister Nyilas is now available for communication."

'His' gaze slowly rose. "It's over twenty minutes since I asked, isn't it?"

"Quite, sir. He has, indeed, been most tardy in responding."

"Very well," he said, returning to his scrubbing, "put him through."

"Very good, sir."

Appleby drifted from the room, pacing silently into the room opposite from which he returned from a moment later carrying a laptop computer. He walked to stand directly in fount of his Lordship and opened the laptop, revealing a moving image of Victor Nyilas. The badger remained motionlessly holding the laptop in his Master's directoin as he spoke, obeduently and pationtly waiting for his Master to be done.

The image of Victor Nyilas, spoke. "My Lord," he started, "it's good to see-"

"Less of a delay is required next time, I think."

"I, I couldn't just leave! I was giving my students a lectu-"

"Come again?" His soft gaze rose to meet the Professor's. Victor was a Billy Goat, past his prime, who sat nervously upon an office chair behind a large desk. His fur was mostly a brownish-gray, but for several patches of offish-white, and he had two tan horns which formed curls just above his flat ears.

The goat stuttered, his gaze failing and lowering to his desk a moment later. "N-n-nothing, your Lordship."

He nodded, "That's better," and then smiled as he relaxed back into his wide, circular bathtub, making a low groaning sound as the soft heat enveloped his fur and skin. Nyilas sat silently as he waited for what he knew was to come. It came. "Now, this matter of our most recent drug-shipment-"

"I did all I could, your Lordship," he pleaded, "but what happened was out of my power! I couldn't-"

"You _should_ have been able to detain one old shiphand in his late sixties," the Lord cut in, his usually musical tone of voice replaced with a tone of such iron will, all who heard it may flinch, "and your failure to do this simple task surgeons to me that you intentionally allowed this _dog_ \- this _Shuck_ \- to escape."

"My Lord, I would never-"

"And we _know_ what happens to turncoats, don't we?"

Victor Nyilas sat back behind the desk, slowly, as though unconscious trying to hide beneath its wooden cover. The Lord of Zistopia appeared to lose interest in speaking with him, as his gaze fell away and he raised a foot up which he rested upon the edge of the bathtub so his leg was exposed from beneath the water. He took back his brush and then started scrubbing the jet-black fur of his leg.

Nyilas picked up the courage to speak. "Sir, I... I entrusted the coyote, George, to protect the shipment. I wasn't even there! This is _his_ fault that-"

"George the coyote is an idiot," He said without looking up; "that's why he's useful. You should have known full well it would be unwise to trust him with something of importance."

"My... my Lord, I do, humbly, beg your forgiveness."

" _Begging_ is of no use to our cause though, is it? What is of use to our cause is money - and lots of it. Money," He continued, tersely, "provided by our vast network of drug trafficking."

"Surely you have enough by now."

"No quite," he said, simply. "But soon - very soon - we will have gathered enough to initiate stage two, and then... well..." he chuckled, dryly, "like a line of dominoes the rest will just come tumbling down of its own accord."

"God," the goat muttered to himself, "if but they knew of the future that awaits them."

The Lord's now piercing gaze rose once again. "But of coerce, their not going to know, are they?"

Once again, fear grew in the billy goat's mind, and his gaze fell yet again to the desk. "Certainly not, my Lord."

The Lord smiled, but it was a false smile. "Tonight... there will be another shipment of drugs-"

"B-but, my Lord, the guards!"

"The guards will not be their."

Victor was flummoxed; the Lord continued.

"For six o'clock tonight, Chief Bogo, the head of the Zootopia Police Department, has organized a police raid on... on _one_ of our hives. When this happens, he will order all officers to attend, leaving the dock's free for another shipment to enter... seeing as how the last shipload was cut short."

"Wouldn't it be better to take precautionary steps against them?"

"Your job is to follow orders, Nyilas, not to think. And anyway, if we took precautionary steps to disallow officers access to the building, then officers may be reassigned to the post of guarding the docks and we may, yet again, be foiled."

"So the Hive being found out is-"

"A necessary sacrifice, yes."

The goat frowned. "How do you know what the police are planning?"

The Lord's gaze rose to meet the goat's. "That is not your concern. All you need know is that Officers Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde will be attempting to sneak into the premises of Erkin Electrical at some point this afternoon. They must be allowed to do this. They must find proof of fowl play."

"Hopps and Wilde? You wanted them dead, didn't you?"

"No," he shot, sitting forwards, "only the rabbit should die. You hear me? The fox lives!"

The goat watched nervously as his Master slowly sat back in the bath. The Lord smiled, a thin grin spreading quickly across the length of his black muzzle.

"The fox lives. But leave the rabbit to me," He said, "I have..." a number of short, mocking little laughs escaped His lips. "...I have another operative working on _her_. Your job, is to oversee tonight's shipment personally, and-"

"- _but my lord_ -"

"-and to ensure nothing comes between _me_ and success. Understand?"

Victor's gaze faltered, but he managed to hold it with the Lord's own. "I... I understand perfectly, my Lord."

"And this time, Mister Nyilas, you will not fail me."

"N-not at all, M-master."

The Lord scrubbed dirt absently from beneath his claws. "Because you know what will happen if you fail, don't you?" he said. "By you hand or by mine: it will happen."

The Lord of Zistopia watched Nyilas from the corner of his eye as stuttered silently and shrank back within himself. He sat forwards, a wry smile growing on his lips. "Well," he said as he reached for the 'end call' button, "I'm glad we understand one another. Be _seeing_ you." And then, with a click, the image of Victor Nyilas vanished into black.

The Lord of Zistopia smiled and his eyes fell closed as he sat low in the steamy warmth of his bath. He chuckled a couple of times, then one eye half-opened. "You are dismissed, Secretary Appleby."

"Thank you, Sir," replied the stony badger. He bowed, closed the laptop, turned, and glided steadily from the room, the high black door of the jutting stone tower closing with a recurring clunk which echoed around the polished stone walls, sealing and floor.

The black panther chuckled again as his paws came to rest behind his head, sitting back further into the soft heat and gazing out through the high, glass windows cut expertly into the side of the black, stone tower... and looked upon the shining white of the moon as it gazed upon the squalor of Zistopia's streets, and the ethereal, glowing grandeur of its Royal Tower.


	34. The Slow Approach

**if I might** **crave your momentary indulgence, I should like to just thank all whom have written review to Paw in Paw for your words - particularly thanking 'Batbinmyheart91'** **(writer of the most flattering reviews I have ever had the good fortune to receive), 'imjustklikehumphery' and 'USA Patriot'.** **In your togetherness - alongside the reviews of all others who have pledged their time to the writing of them - this story has, on the seventeenth of July twenty seventeen, received is hundredth review.**

 **It gladdens my spirit irrivockibly to know their are those out there who enjoy and (if I may be so bold) admire this work, and only hope you continue to enjoy it through the great hardships now beginning to grow - the city hanging over the brink of a precipice, the edge of a razorblade, as yet unseen by any (even** _you_ **) at this early and unlikely stage. Though that will come** **soon enough** **. All in good time, my friends... all in good time.**

 **~ Paw in Paw ~  
by  
~ Mister Smail ~**

* * *

Nick wandered through the backways of his mind, recalling and remembering all the memories of his past; most were painful, a few were pleasant, but that was not the important thing. The important thing was that Nick was mentally able to _let_ himself remember them.

That night, last night, on the roof of his apartment, Nick knew, he had torn open the wounds of his past to Judy. As poison is drawn from a wound, the blood of emotion had bled out into his soul, leaving his body weak and his mind tormented. Without the healing powers the love of the sweet-smelling bunny who sat beside him in the cold night air to aid him, the fox knew, he could never have hoped to ever escape the shadow of his past.

And yet the wounds of sorrow the rabbit had all but wrenched open were closed. Not just bandaged and covered up, hidden within himself as they had been for so many years, but truly, and blessedly... closed.

Fully closed and healing rapidly, not that they would be healed overnight, nor would Nick ever truly be free of the scars they had left behind, but at least now, the fox no longer had to convince himself he didn't care about his past and pretend it never happened. He could accept his lot as it was, come to terms with it and move on.

It _had_ happened... it's just it didn't bother Wilde anymore.

 _Nick drew himself back to the moment at hand somewhat and sat back in his chair, an ear flicking in adjudication and anxiety at what was to come later this day._

For Nick had woken up with the sense today was going to be a very long and difficult day, and that sense still held firm. He couldn't quite put it into words, though he still had this... feeling, this indefinable _something_ that told him something big was at hand.

Nick drew himself back from his broodings fully, hoping to distract himself from the ominous, sinking feeling that made him want to take Judy home and hide her under the sheets, made him feel like a rat in a sinking ship, and turned to the gray-blue furred rabbit as she pulled the ZPD cruiser to a stop before some red traffic lights.

"So, Carrots," he said, putting a wry smile over his concern in the way he was so skilled at, "what's the plan? Run in Erkin guns-a-blazing, or sneak in there subtly like that Joanna character from Perfect Bark?"

Judy turned to him, her brow furrowed as she spoke. "What do you mean 'what's the plan?' We talked through all this before we left the station!"

" _Yeah..._ I may have accidently _stopped_ listening to what we were actually talking about and started focusing on... something else."

"Nick," Judy tutted, turning back to the road, "it was _me_ and _you_ stood alone in our office. What was there to distract you?"

Nick smirked, leaned close to her ear and whispered something. Judy started back in shock... then giggled, and brought a paw to her mouth to cover her embraced (yet flattered) laughter as she glanced over to him. A blush grew on Judy's face; a grin grew on Nick's.

"You do wear a _very_ tight pair of jeans, after all."

Judy controlled the blush, her face becoming sultry. "That can come later, darling."

"Apt choice of words, sweetheart."

Her blush deepened. "N- _no_ ," she stuttered, "I said 'come', Nick, _come!_ Spelt c-o-"

"I know what you meant you multiplication-mad little minx."

"Nick, I... I-" Judy drew herself hurriedly back from where _that_ conversation was going and focused on the fact the traffic light had turned green. She pulled the car into gear and pulled the car neatly away, being careful to avoid stalling the car like she had last time things had got a little heated at a red light.

"So," she started after a moment of silence, "since you conveniently lost yourself to thinking about thrusting your meat between my legs 'til I'm sent over the edge-" Nick started and choked beside her, a blush just becoming visible at the back of his neck.

Judy smiled, watching from the corner of her eye. _Nick could dance circles with playful implications all day, but whenever Judy wanted to get her own back, all she had to do was be blunt and untactful, and he would be blushing and stuttering in a second._ "...then I guess we better go through it all again."

"Erm," he choked, "I- I... I guess."

The rabbit glanced to him, a smug smile on her lips for getting him flustered more. All life was a competition with Nick; it kept them on their toes.

"Well," she started, "the mission objective only states we have to get Bogo a warrant to search the place. That means we don't actually have to go inside or anywhere near Erkin if we can help it, only as a last resort. So I thought, rather than marching right on into the lion's den, we should try and find out everything we can about them first."

"Makes sense to me," Nick said, resting an arm on the side of the door and gazing out ahead casually, still flustered but doing his best to hide it, "I mean, you never know, if their paperworks dodgy, we might even get enough for a warrant from the dirt on that."

"Precicely."

"We're heading for Registry House, then?"

"Yep!"

"You know where it is?"

"...not exactly."

"And you were taking us this direction, why, pray?"

There was a long, uncertain pause. "Instinct?"

Nick shook his head at her playfully. "It's not hard to find. It's just on The Ringroad, near Admin Tower's Southern complex. You'll spot it. Just carry on down here."

Judy did as Nick instructed, continuing her drive through the morning rush-hour traffic as it started to disband to normal-level traffic as the minutes ticked on. Very soon, the streets would be relatively quiet as they would be through the rest of the day before picking up again come the time of evensong and the rush-hour that came with that.

Judy huffed slightly as she came to a stop at another set of trafficlights, behind another line of cars, unhappily stagnated by the traffic which lay upon the roads almost as thick as the heat hung in the air.

"So," she started, board of this tedious interlude, "Erkin, Nick: know anything about them?"

"Arrh, not really. Unlike Ladders and Ladders, me an' Fin never took the time to find out about the place."

"You mean, 'you never saw fit to rob it?' "

"Well... yeah. I mean, there's probably some pretty expensive equipment in there, but it's not abandoned like Ladders. All I really know is their full title is Erkin Electrical Enterprises. I don't know who runs the place or who started it. I don't know what they make, exactly, or who they make it for. I don't know if they supply businesses with computers, or fix hearing aids for old grannies."

"But we know it's something to do with electrics."

"And we know they must have an active presence in the city. You've seen their trucks from time to time, right?"

"Yeah, white trucks, aren't they? With a green, 'E _E_ E' insignia on the side."

The light changed green again and Judy set back off down the long, wide road. She said nothing as she pulled away, the car suddenly still with thoughtful silence before Judy remembered what she was trying to and broke it.

"Nick, didn't we pull one of their vans over for something a few months ago?"

"You know, I think we did. And you know what that means, don't you?"

"Yeah. Well, nearly. I can feel it on the tip of my tongue... or, mind."

"Carrots," Nick prompted, "what's the worst job in the ZPD?"

"Parking duty?"

"No," he said, "we agreed that was the _second_. The _first_ was-"

"Paperwork! The details of the Erkin van we pulled over will be in the paperwork!"

"Including a run-down of the kind of stock they were carrying.

"Clawhauser," Judy called, now into the radio, "respond."

"Clawhauser, responding."

"We need you to dig up some info for us," the rabbit called back efficiently, "We can't remember when exactly, but about two months ago now, Wilde and I pulled over a van belonging to the Electrics company, Erkin Enterprises. Do you think you could tell us it's cargo?"

"Boy, the two of you pull a _lot_ of cars over. Can you remember what it was for, exactly?" the cheetah asked.

Judy looked to Nick for support. Nick looked startled and just shrugged. "Sorry, Claw, that's a negative."

"Okay Hopps," Clawhauser called back, "it might take a while then, but I'll get it for you."

"Thanks Ben, you're a lifesaver." The radio crackled, then went silent. Judy turned to Nick, grinning. "Nick, you are a genius."

"I know, darlin'. I know."

Judy giggled. "Gimme a kiss."

"What, just... just like that?"

Judy's reply didn't come verbally, but she did reply physically as she slowed the car at another set of trafficlights, reached out a paw, gripped Nick by his tie and tugged his head to meet hers for a sudden yet powerful kiss on the lips.

Judy giggled and returned all attention back to the road to help hide her embarrassment. Nick's face flushed with heat and he swiftly turned away likewise and rested his head on the window so he could look out in a light daze... just as a silver car in the next lane pulled up to a stop directly beside them, unable to move further forwards for the cars in front, so that Nick's face came to be gazing directly at the car's driver through the driver-side window.

Nick stared at the driver. The foxes brow started to furrow. The black-striped rabbit who was sitting in the driver's seat of the car which had just pulled up next to the ZPD cruiser, remained utterly motionless in his seat, gazing, nonplused, out of the front window, not acknowledging Nick in any way.

 _..._

 _Damn._ The striped rabbit through. _Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn. Of all the rotten luck,_ this _happens. Okay, say nothing, do nothing. Remember your training, don't change your expression and don't react. Don't look at him, don't look worried and_ definitely _, don't overdo it and look too relaxed_.

Being a rabbit with a wide angle-of-sight, Jack was able to glance at Nick through the corner an eye. _Okay, he's recognised you - shit, okay, he's recognised you. Just stay calm, Jack. He can't be sure it's you. Just stay calm and don't react and don't_ please _stall the car when the lights change._

...

The lights turned green. The car of Nick and Judy's pulled away and the car with the black-striped rabbit-driver pulled forwards and turned off in the other direction. Eventually, Nick sat back in his chair and said nothing, his mind deep in thought.

The rabbit beside him was oblivious to all as she drove on down the road, half-glancing to the fox as she said, "Is it much further? Nick?" Silence. "Nick!"

"Carrots," the fox said vaguely, "hand me your pen, will you?"

Judy glanced to him a second time, a questioning expression on her face as she fished her carrot pen out of her pocket and handed it to him. "Sure. Here...?"

"Thanks," Nick said, setting it down on the dashboard. Without a word of explanation, he clicked the 'record' button on the small orange device and spoke, his voice suddenly shifting from deep and brooding to light and conversational. "So Hopps," he chirruped, "what exactly _is_ the secret to growing such wonderful blueberries?"

The car came to a stop at another set of traffic lights. Judy just stared at the fox, bewildered. Slowly, Nick's head turned to face her, his eyes indicating for her to go on in a similar fashion.

"Well..." she started, very unsurely, "it's really more to do with being attentative to everything a plant needs, rather than just one magical secret for perfect berries ~"

"Really? Sounds fractionating. Do go on!"

"It's simple when you break it down and look at the process as a set of steps," she replied, casually slipping into a normal-sounding tone of voice, "first of all you've gotta plant the seed in the right location. You have to consider how much light it's going to get, moisture absorption, minerals in the soil, what was planted there the year before, all before the seed's even planted, you know? It might be that there's a natural barrier, like a tree or a hedge, which will block sunlight to certain parts of the field at certain times of the day."

"I get it," Nick said, starting to suspect Judy had forgotten about the pen and was now just lecturing him on plant husbandry, "the idea is not to put a plant there so it gets as much sunlight as possible."

"Actually," she said, "it depends more on the time of year, the product you're planting, the quality of the soil and the air pressure, moisture and temporal climate. You see, at times in the summer where the sun is shining at its most intense, it may well be the plants are getting too much sunlight and getting burnt up. But if it's closer to the rainy season with thicker layers of cloud and less light getting through, a greater degree of sunlight might be wanted."

"But all plants need sunlight, right?"

"Yep. Unless it's a fungous, of course, in which case you want a darkroom kept at fifteen degrees. Now," she cointinued, the pen completely forgotten, "there's also the lay of the land itself to be considered. For example, a dip in the earth means the plants will be closer to the water table and able to draw up more moisture, however, it may also mean more clay in the soil, depending on the earth, which will be drawn up into the plant with the water and minerals and can make the fruit taste kinda musky."

"A musky blueberry?"

"Nothing worse then a musky blueberry, sweetheart. Anyway, once the seed's planted you've then gotta think about the kind of irrigation system you want to use. Dad's always liked the Claber 8053 Oasis, but I've always preferr-"

"Wow," Nick exclaimed, leaning forwards, "Judy, that was so interesting, but I think that's about as I can take at the moment." Then, the fox picked up the carrot pen-recorder and flicked it off. "Thanks," he said, slipping it into his pocket.

Turning the steering wheel, Judy turned the car off the road they had been driving on and onto something not unlike a gigantic roundabout. The speed limit here was but a leisurely five miles per hour, since this part of town was constantly full of business mammals from all the highest and most well-off walks of life.

The townsmammals of the City Council area filled the Ringroad and its nearby premises. Dressed in the sharpest black suits and carrying the finest quality, imitation-leather attaché cases, they walked about the streets, full of their own pompous self-importance, their black-polished shoes glinting in the sunlight.

The Ringroad circled Admin Tower: unarguably the most influential building in all Zophon, which stood in the centre of this gigantic roundabout, the home of the immeasurable power which governed and maintained the clockwork running of the city, and the centre point for the great inspiring guidance Zootopia had upon the rest of the world.

Driving around the outside lane of the Ringroad, the rabbit and the fox passed a number of tall and grand buildings - though none so grand as the Administrators' Tower itself. They passed a metal sign baring the words 'Registry House', and Judy turned the car swiftly into the carpark, and turned off the engine.

There was a long moment of silence. "So... you gonna transcribe that into written text and study it later?"

"Something like that, yeah."

"Seriously, though, what was that all about?"

"Never you mind, my dear Hopps," he said with a warm smile and a wink in her direction. A warm smile and a wink which shew no signs of the concern that lie beneath.

"Just... interested?"

"Just interested."

"Then... then why-?"

The fox leant forwards and kissed Judy softly on the lips. "I'm dealing with it, Judy," he said, "it's alright. You can trust me."

Judy opened her mouth to ask another question; Nick avoided the question by pressing his lips, mouth open, against Judy's a second time, for a kiss of such heat and deepness, when the fox withdrew his tongue a few seconds later, the rabbit was left in a dizzy daze of pleasure.

The fox grinned, both for how pleasurable the kiss was, and for the fact he had successfully avoided that line of questioning, as he opened the door of the ZPD cruiser and stepped out of the air conditioned coolness of the car's interior, and into the thick heat of the day.


	35. Registry House

The heavy heat of the sun beat down upon the shining glass and reflective metal of Zootopia's streets. Not a breath of wind stirred in that muggy, breathless air, for the breeze which usually blew up from the South, bringing with it the cool and crisp lake air was, on this day, blowing down from the North, and was lost to the high mountains peaks above.

As morning turned to day, the glaring light of the sun intensified, reflecting off the high-polish metals and glass of the city and baking it like an iridescent bulb between mirrors. The concrete pavement of the city grew hot, the air became thick, yet not a lick of breath was present to relieve the mammals who walked there from the stifling, stuffy air.

The mammals who walked the streets either jogged to more shaded parts of the city, where the air was cooler and the pavements not so hot, or returned indoors either to take a cold bath or to dress themselves in foot-pads which could help protect them from the hot earth. But there was no such luck for Nick or Judy as they stepped from the cool confines of their ZPD cruiser and onto the burning tarmac of the Registry House car park.

"Heck," Nick said, drawing his foot quickly away from the hot road and sharply returning to his seat in the car, "remind me, Hopps," he said, looking over to her with a smirk as she leaped back into the car likewise, "are we in Precinct One, or Sahara Square?"

Judy's laugh was as dry as the air, and slightly pained, as she examined the underside of her mildly-scorched foot. "Not funny, Nick. There's no shade here and it's a hundred yards to the entrance! I nearly burnt my foot just now, and I barely touched the ground. What are we gonna do, fly?"

"We could to that, but my flying skills are a little rusty, so ~" Nick leant forwards and opened up the car glovebox. He took out a fifty milliliter bottle of water and started to undo the lid.

" 'So' what? Hopps may be my name, but even I can't jump that distance."

"Yeah, well," he said, pouring a little water into palm of his padded paw, "there's still a few tricks to the city I still haven't told ya. Give me your feet."

Judy didn't quite understand why Nick was doing what he was, but she was interested to find out, so she turned herself in the chair until her back was in the car doorway and her bare feet were resting on Nick's lap.

Pouring a little more into his hand, Nick started rubbing water into the base of the rabbit's feet, gently soaking the fur with his paw. He continued doing this for a few seconds, and then a small, satisfied smile grew on Nick's face as he smoothed his paw across Judy's feet, his eyes tracing up the line of her leg, looking to make sure he had rubbed all the water in... and just looking as his wandering paw traced higher.

"Okay Hopps," he said, giving her a playful slap on the thy, "you're done."

" _Arugh_ ," she complained, grinning, as she retracted her feet, "just when it was getting enjoyable, too."

"The time for that can come later, my dear," he said as he turned himself to face out and raised his feet above the ground, soaking his palms with more water and slapping the cool liquid onto his own feet.

Hopps hopped out of the car and walked around to Nick's side, her feet blessedly cooled, suddenly recalling a decision she had earlier made but had, as yet, forgotten to mention. _Later,_ she thought, _that was the thing I wanted to talk to him about._ She told him as he stood.

"Actually, Nicky," she said, excitedly, "I've been thinking about what we're gonna do over the weekend. I mean, sex is sex, and that's kinda not allowed, but when you break it down into it's component parts, a lot of it isn't the sex itself. There's still a whole lot of physical closeness and familiarity the two of us could explore without contravening what my parents' teach. I think, if we-"

"Okay... that's not good."

Judy was struck into silence by the fox's comment. A cold shiver ran down her. _Is he refusing me? Have I tried to push him too far?_ "What?" she asked, "what is it?"

Nick pointed down with a claw. Judy looked down at her own feet. They were hissing and steaming. She look up at Nick's; they were steaming too. "Oh..." she said, "do you think we oughta-"

 _"Run!"_

Slamming the car door and locking it the officers bolted for the entrance. They sprinted across the boiling car park, heaved open the heavy glass door and slipped into the air-conditioned paradise that was Registry House.

"On fire! My feet are on fire!" Nick yelped as he hopped from foot to foot.

Judy's protective instinct kicked in. She spotted a vase of flowers on a desk, grabbed them without thinking and threw the watery contents over Nick's uniform.

 _ **~splosh~**_

...

Nick slowly, delicately, put his foot back down on the floor. His expression stony and impassive, he looked down at the large patch of wetness on his dripping uniform. Taking up his tie, he twisted it in both hands and wrung out a few droplets of water.

Judy stared silently, holding the vase sheepishly in both hands, a little water still sloshing around in the bottom, as the fox's expression rose to meet her.

"And you did that... why?"

The calmness of his voice made her flinch. "It was, erm... it seemed like a good idea at the time!"

Nick blinked. He breathed in, slowly, and spoke, his voice still as calm as ever. "...thank you." Without another word the fox stepped forwards and kissed the (rather confused) rabbit on the lips. Stepping closer, he wrapped his arms gently around her in a soft hug and pulled her close.

"Oh, okay," she grumbled, "you're just trying to dry yourself on me now, aren't you."

"Ooh, Judy," the fox pouted, deftly plucking the vase from Judy's paw, "as if I would ever do that." Quick as a flash, the fox pulled the material away from the back of Judy's neck with a claw and tipped the remaining trickle of water down her back.

" _Eeek!_ " she squealed, pulling herself back hurriedly, giggling and grinning as she squirmed, throwing her shoulders up and her neck back in reaction to the cold. "Nick," she complained, "no fair!"

"But I thought all was fair in Love and war."

"Give me that vase," she demanded, grabbing for it.

"It won't do you no good now, darlin'" the fox teased, holding high above Judy's head, "it's dry as a bone."

Judy jumped as she grabbed for it. "It's not to soak you with, it's to put the flowers back. Now gimme!"

Judy lept and batted at the fox's arm, snatching at the vase, missing, and sending it careering off, halfway the length of the room, before smashing to pieces against the wall.

"What in hell's going on in here?"

Both mammals froze the sound, turning in unison as the large frame of a porcupine with a shirt bearing the word 'security' lumbered into the hall from a room marked 'office'.

The large porcupine lent forwards on the receptionists desk between him and the two officers and started examining the startled, smaller mammals suspiciously. "Ruffians?" he growled. "You two young ruffians come breaking in here, with your laughter, wreck the place, spill the water, break the vase! Why, I've got a good mind to call the police!"

"No! No, no, no," Judy said, hurriedly unpinning her police badge and waving it towards the glaring security guard. "Sir, we-"

"I mean look at what you've done." the porcupine interrupted, his far louder voice cutting into Judy's easily, "Trespassing, disturbing the peace, willful damage of public-"

"We're not ruffians! We're officers," the rabbit shouted, slapping her badge down on the desk, "and we didn't break in, we need information on a business!"

The porcupine stared at Judy's badge for a few seconds, then... his shoulders sagged, he slumped down in his chair, and seemed to shrink and shrivel into a pitifully depressed state.

"Sorry," he mumbled, "didn't see the uniform; eyesight's not what it was. I don't know, the first bit of excitement I've had in months and it turns out to be two police officers. I'm meant to be a security guard, you know. 'Come be a security guard, Marvin.' that's what they said to me, 'fend of crooks and villains' - God it's depressing - the most fending I've ever done was dealing with a jammed printer three months ago. Even that was just a basic model. The rest of the time I'm sat here from nine-to-bloody-five day in day out, staring at security camera footage. Call that job satisfaction? Cause I don't."

The rabbit opened her mouth. "Erm...?"

"Anyway, mustn't stand around here grumbling all day, you've probably got some really important work to be doing, ruffians and scum of the earth to arrest. That's what I thought I was signing up to, you know, before they gave me a security job in one of the most boring buildings in the city. 'Make sure all the doors are locked, Marvin,' That's what they say to me. 'Open up this filing cabinet, Marvin.' 'Marvin, can you pick up that piece of paper?' Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and they ask me to pick up a piece of paper. ...I mean, who would bother to steal publicly-available business information anyway? It's depressing. All the same, what was it you wanted?"

"We need some info," Nick said quickly before the Marvin could start talking again, "we need all the data we can get on an electronics manufacturing company. Could you show us which way to go?"

"Is that all? Oh, alright then," he mumbled, shuffling off towards a corridor with Nick and Judy in tow. "Manufactures of electronic components department is down that way. But it's not a very interesting department to read up on. Far more interesting is the Retail sale in non-specialized stores with food, beverages or tobacco predominating. They can be _reaally_ interesting," he said, with the implication that 'interesting' meant unbelievably boring but still better than shooting yourself'.

"Okay," the fox said, pushing the door open to a long and dimly lit, gray corridor with a domed roof and low ceiling, lit by a number of beam-lights which were supported from the roof by a number of rafters. There was a gap between the rafters and the roof which acted like a low walkway where the janitors could crawl along to change the lightbulbs.

"Thanks," Judy said, cheerfully.

"Don't thank me, please, it's so depressing to be thanked for something you had no choice but to do."

"Oh... sorry," she said as he walked off, "but, you know... that's life!"

"Life? Don't talk to me about life. I don't know. Here I am, brain the size of a planet, and today it was my job to point two officers towards the filing room. And then of course I've got this terrible pain in all the quills down my left side. I mean, I've asked for them to be looked at, but no-one ever listens to me. But mustn't grumble, can't stand around here all day, must get back to staring at black and white CCTV footage. I don't know, call that job satisfaction 'cause I don't. Oh God I'm so depressed~" The porcupines complaints continued, but faded into silence as the door swung shut behind Nick and Judy as they entered the corridor they had been pointed to.

"Well..." Nick said, "he was cheerful."

"Yeah, we should invite him to your birthday party or something."

"Or a funereal procession, maybe?"

"Nah, he might bring down the mood."

"Hah! You know, Jules," Nick said, looping an arm around the rabbit who stepped into the hug as they started walking, "it's at times like this - with a soaking uniform and a black eye - that I think just how lucky I am to be working so closely to someone as energetic and upbeat as you."

"Energetic, huh? You might come to regret those words once were married and the mating season hits. Actually, it might be an idea if you were to start training for it as early as you can."

A wicked and toothy grin split across his muzzle. "You mean I should spend more time-"

"No, Nick, I meant you need to spend more time taking cardiac and stamina training up at the Gym. Go jogging, weightlifting, whatever it takes. Just be sure you're fit enough to make it past at _least_ the first eight hours before passing out."

"Oh don't worry about me, Hopps. I'm young, I'm fit, I'm able. In fact," he added, his paw slipping lower, just lightly pinching Judy's posterior, "I'm really quite looking forwards to it."

"Well, honestly Nick," she said with a blush, "I just hope you're up to it. Oh, and you might wanna get some kind of lubricant too, otherwise I'm gonna tear your cock off."

Nick's head turned sharply to look at the rabbit stood beside him. She was still walking quite naturally, with a pleasant and untroubled smile on her face, as though talking so openly about something of that nature was perfectly natural. "I... I'll bare that in mind."

 _Rabbits',_ he snorted inwardly, _you and your multiplying: it's unbelievable._

Nick was on the verge of making a reply when a the subtle click of something Nick recognized screamed of his attention. If his sense of trepidation had not been risen by spying that same striped rabbit who he had suspected of following them to the ZPD from home, for a second time on the drive over, Nick would never have even heard the soft click of a pick in a lock. But he did.

He stopped and turned sharply, his ears flicking straight up as he gazed harshly down the length of the dimly-lit corridor. "Hopps," he said, "you hear that?"

"I didn't hear anything. It's just your mind playing tricks with you."

"Oh no, Carrots. I heard it alright."

"Nick, I'm a bunny, and I didn't hear it. You sure you didn't imagine it?"

"Perhaps... perhaps you weren't listening for it."

"For what Nick, I-"

The fox pressed his finger silently against his lips. "Judy, it's okay, I've prepared for this." His face not diverting from gazing down the length of the corridor, he gently took Judy's arm and turned her back to the path in front.

"Go on Hopps," he said, his voice soft as he took an orange device from his pocket, "I'll catch you up later." And with that, Nick flicked the 'play' button on the carrot pen-recorder, slid it into Judy's pocket and then, gently, pushed the rabbit until she started walking away on her own.

 _"So Hopps,"_ came Nick's voice from the recorder as Judy walked in bewildered silence up the corridor, _"what exactly is the secret to growing such wonderful blueberries?"_

Nick's gaze flicked up and down, both ways along the corridor, observing Judy's progress in one direction, and checking for any movement of shadow in the other.

 _"Well..."_ came Judy's voice, _"it's really more to do with being attentive everything a plant needs, rather than just one magical secret for perfect berries ~"_

Upon Judy's side of the corridor, Nick heard the door to the next room swing open and shut again. The fox's gaze fell to the other. Still no signs of movement as yet. Satisfied he was alone, Nick gazed up at the roof, the thin rafters suspended like low walkways from the ceiling, which the six-foot beam-lights were attached to the underside of.

 _"Really?"_ he heard, the voice muffled now but still very much audible, _"Sounds fascinating. Do go on!"_

...

With a soft click, the fire door to the car park at the end of the corridor opened. Jack Savage's head inched around the slightly-open door and his gaze swept across the room as he surveyed his surroundings: scanning for guards, security cameras and, of course, a certain fox and rabbit.

Satisfied no immediate threat was present, the rabbit slipped his set of lockpicks back into his pocket and shut the door behind him. His ears pricking up, he followed the sound of Judy's voice, pacing down the corridor on noiseless feet, crouched low, his eyes darting this way and that as he heard Nick and Judy conversing some way up the corridor.

 _"It's simple when you break it down and look at the process as a set of steps,"_ Jack heard, _"first of all you've gotta plant the seed in the right location."_

Judging Nick and Judy must be quite some distance away from him, Jack hurried to catch up, aware he was sacrificing caution for speed, but also aware that losing someone in a large, government complex such as this was an easy thing to do.

The scent of _fox_ hung heavy in the air.

 _"You have to consider how much light it's going to get,"_ Jack jogged to catch up, _"moisture absorption, minerals in the soil, what was planted there the year before, all before-"_

A shadow fell. Jack froze and turned. A large weight was thrown upon him. A large, clawed paw tightly gripped the scruff of his neck. Nick threw all his weight into the striped rabbit as he leapt from his hiding place in the rafter above the roof, and Jack was thrown to the floor with a hefty thunk with the fox lying just beside him. The rabbit rolled and sprang to his feet as Nick lifted himself onto all fours in the predatory stance used by foxes generations ago.

Their eyes met. Jack grimaced. A low growl came from the back of the Nick's throat as he pounced. Jack reacted sharply and turned, his foot sailing through the air in a kick which smashed across the side of Nick's face. The rabbit's roundhouse kick did some damage and blood splattered the wall... but the fox's momentum could not be so easily stopped.

Nick didn't delay (didn't give Jack the second he needed to pull another damn Karate move or whatever the hell it was) and the sharp white of the fox's incisors came pinching against the jugular of Jack's throat an instant later.

...no amount of training or skill in any Martial Art of any kind could ever hope to protect Jack from the predatory teeth pinning him to the wall. And Jack knew it.

The rabbit took in a drawn-out breath. It shook a little, but Jack managed to hide most signs of fear as he spoke - his voice a little strained and just a slight pitch higher than normal. "Okay, Mister Wilde... you have my attention. What is it you wish to discuss?"

 _"Wow,"_ Nick exclaimed in reply, though it didn't appear to come from the fox's mouth but appeared, instead, to come from some way up the corridor, _"Judy, that was so interesting, but I think that's about as I can take at the moment. Thanks."_ There was a muffled click, and then silence fell.


	36. Savage Sophistication

**My thanks to GarZoo for the insightful review below, and for giving me the idea that Jack... well... you'll have to see, won't you? The Review:**

 **'It seems like you are getting all the pieces on the board and once they are all in position the game of chess will begin. As with any game of chess and as with any good story we, the audience, will have to figure out your next move.** **What are the valuable pieces? How will they interact with each other? Which pieces will play a key role? And which onces are there just do be sacrificed?**

 **The romance might be a warm light, elegant and glorious in the night, but you shouldn't let the light swallow you. For it will blind you and make you unable to see what lies in the darkness.**

 **This story truly gives you material to think about, events to theorise about, questions to haunt and frustrate you and answers to surpass all and satisfy you.**

 **I will certainly stay here to see Paw in Paw in its final form rise to the top and claim the glory it deserves.'**

 **I only hope I can do this review justice.  
~ Mister Smail ~**

* * *

The streets of Zootopia were still and silent, a light rain falling from the sky and a thin wind blowing through the silent air. The wind changed, carrying with it, the silent energy of anticipation.

But one street - one wide street in the Entertainment District - was not so silent. One building stood, alive and energized, amongst the otherwise still and silent houses, its sounds of laughter and of chatting filling the street outside, the stuffy heat of crowded mammals filling the air; light pollution pouring from the large sign written in light bulbs. The sign read, "Music Hall." And written below it, "Tonight's Performance: Mister Memory."

A silver car pulled slowly down the road, its driver watching as a porter parted the large glass and wooden doors for a group of mammals who left the Music Hall, lighting cigars and sipping their wine as they chatted excitedly in their dresses and dinner jackets.

The driver of the silver-colored car pulled to a stop on the corner of this wide, gray street. The engine churned, the lights dimmed, and then a figure stepped out from within.

Pulling his collar up against the drizzle, the black-striped rabbit shoved his hands deep into the pockets of his tan Ulster coat as he made his way down the street and towards the light and noise of Zootopia's Music Hall.

The tan-coated rabbit stayed close to the wall, trying to avoid being noticed by the group of larger mammals as he made his way to the large door. He slipped past the group and was just reaching for the knocker, when a delicate hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Hey, sweetie," the rabbit heard, a black-striped ear pricking up, "you're cute. Wanna hook up later?"

The rabbit half-turned. His gaze rose upwards, and he looked into the soft, blue eyes of an especially voluptuous, red vixen. The rabbit's gaze drifted downwards, her blue eyes fixed intently upon him, as he took in her shapely form and deep red fur, the black tip of her genitally swishing tail, and the polished black claws on her... her hand?

One of the rabbit's eyes twitched. He turned from her, tugged his arm away, and stepped into the Music Hall through the large glass door opened for him by the porter. He undid the buckle of his coat, slipped out of it to reveal his eveningwear beneath, and handed it to the doormammal who hung it upon a low hook.

He glanced out of the wooden door through one of the glass panels as he adjusted his dark dinner jacket to see the vixen still watching him, her soft, pearly eyes set on him steadily as she sipped from a glass of red wine.

He turned his back on her, shaking his head as he tried to put her from his mind. He had to resist it, but he _was_ interested. The problem wasn't that she was a fox and he was a rabbit for he had slept around with a few different species in his time and _this_ vixen was rather more attractive than any fox and most rabbits he had seen for a long time. It wasn't that he was here on a mission that had stopped him, for he had mixed pleasure with business on multiple occasions in the past and found both matters were all the more pleasurable for it, so that wasn't the problem, no, what put him off... was the engagement ring on her finger. And an enraged male fox, was something which was never worth the trouble of dealing with.

The rabbit put her from his mind as he stepped for the large oak door with brass handles which lead to the main hall, but a gray-patched wolf with a clipboard stepped in his way. "You have a reservation, Sir?" he asked, peering down at him.

The rabbit slipped a hand into his pocket. "Right here."

The wolf took the tiny slip of paper proffered to him and examined it against his reservations list. "Hmm. Well, Jake Smith," he said, handing the card back, "you'd best get in there. The show's about to start."

Mister _'Smith'_ smiled at the wolf as he walked past, slipping his ticket back into his pocket. Stepping firmly towards the large oak door, 'Smith' reached out both paws and shoved. And as the noise and chatter of a hundred different mammals filled his ears, he stopped in the doorway to take in his surroundings.

The ceiling of the Music Hall was two stories high and domed at the top for acoustic reasons. Most of the large hall was taken up by tables and chairs with cigar smoke rising from it's occupants. The wooden tables were round, and each had five chairs around it. Separating each table from every other, was a half-wall designed to give each table a little privacy, while not blocking the occupants view from the stage which was on a raised platform at the front.

On the near end of the long, wide hall was a bar set up with numerous drinks and glasses, bar stools and beer taps. And on the far end, a raised platform bordered on the top and sides by a parted, red curtain. On the stage, beneath the light of three different spotlights, was an overweight bear addressing the audience. Next to him, stood quite quiet and still, was an elderly, gray fox.

"Ladies and gentlemammals," the bear said, "with your kind attention and permission, I have the honor of presenting to you, one of the most remarkable mammals in the world."

"How remarkable," called a heckler, "he's sweating!"

"And can you be surprised by that, gentlemammals?" called back the bear instantly, clearly accustomed to dealing with the semi-drunken intellect of the average heckler. "Every day, he commits to memory, fifty new facts, and remembers every one of them. Facts from history, facts from geography..."

The black-striped rabbit paced from the entranceway to the bar, admitting to himself he was never going to spot his 'contact' in this condition, not with the sheer number of people present, not with the limited information he had and certainly not when all he could see of most of the audience over the low walls was the tops of their heads.

"Evening, friend," the barman said as the rabbit slipped into a stool, "care for a cigarette?"

Taking it without answering, 'Jake' slapped down the appropriate cash on the counter, his eyes not leaving the audience as he put it into his mouth and lit it with a silver lighter. He looked about the room, up to the boxes and the stalls, the bear's introductory speech continuing.

"...facts from newspapers and books of science. Millions and millions of them. Think of the strain involved by his prodigious feat!"

"His feet ain't half as big as yours, Cully," a woman called.

"I am referring to his feat of memory! Test him please, ladies and gentlemammals, ask him your questions, and he will answer you fully and freely. Mister Memory!"

The striped rabbit sat forwards on the stool, his ears pricking up attentively. He didn't get a description of his contact, only his species, and a call sign: a question he would call out at some point in the evening. If his contact _was_ here, it wouldn't be long before he made himself known to the rabbit.

The elderly fox stepped forwards and spoke, his voice dry and somewhat nervy. "A question please? Female's first."

"Where's my husband been since last Saturday?"

The elderly fox rolled his eyes as the hecklers started shouting answers for him. "On the booze," called one, "In court," called another, "Out with his 'bit'," called a third.

"A serious question, please?"

"What won the Derby in nineteen eighty-seven?" called a male from the back.

"The pre-race favorite, Steve Cauthen, with trainer Henry Cecil. Won at the odds of six to four. Second and third, Paul Eddy and Jeremy Tree. Am I right?"

"Right!"

"Who wins in twenty twenty?" another male called.

"You come back in twenty twenty-one and I'll tell you, sir!"

The striped rabbit started to turn in his seat, starting to doubt if his contact was even here. Then, a male mammal from somewhere down the front called out. "How far is Podunk from Bunnyburrow?"

The rabbit spun in his seat. That was the call sign! He scanned the front stalls, trying to spot who had called out, but Mister Memory was interrupted from further engaging with the caller - which the rabbit needed him to do in order to find his contact - as a reporter with a tape recorder called out.

"What won the Cup in twenty six?"

"Cup?" Memory asked, "Waterloo, football or tea, sir?"

"Football, silly."

"When did Chelsea win it?" called the tipsy badger sat beside Jake at the bar.

"Sixty-three BC, in the presence of the Emperor Nero."

"What causes pip in poultry?" called an elderly male wolfhound from the wings.

"Shh!" said his wife, "Don't make yourself so common."

"Well," he muttered to her, "our fowls have got it, haven't they?"

The crowds chuckled at hearing this, and at the energy the chuckle created, the room started to grow louder and more rowdy, with general chatter and multiple people calling out at once.

"How many races did Mick the Miller win?"

"How old is my wife?"

"When was Crippen hanged?"

"Who was the last Zootopian heavyweight champion of the world?"

The rabbit started to lose heart, kicking himself that he had missed his opportunity as Mister Memory called out over the noise, "Quiet, please. Quiet! I can not hear the questions if you're all calling at once." The audience went quiet, and then a voice from close to the front called out.

"How far is Podunk from Bunnyburrow?"

A sensation like lightning struck the rabbits mind. _There!_

"Your Poor Betty who, sir?"

"How far is Podunk from Bunnyburrow?"

"Ah, a fellow fox! You are most welcome, sir." A round of applause emerged from this. The rabbit slipped down from his bar stool, leaving his cigarette in the ashtray as he paced towards the front of the room. "Podunk, third city of Deerbroke County and capital of the province of Buckthorn. Distance from Bunnyburrow, one thousand, four hundred and twenty-four miles. Am I right, sir?"

"Quite so."

"Next, please."

"How old is my wife?" a male from the center called.

"I know, Sir, but I never tell a ladies age. Another?"

"What causes pip in poultry?"

The black-striped rabbit came to a stop before a table close to the front of the Music Hall. He looked down at the red fox, mid twenties, who was sat quite leisurely upon one chair, his arm lent upon another and his foot propped up on a third. The fox wore a deep brown suit which was clearly tailor made and sipped from a glass of red as he gazed upon the stage.

Jake stepped closer. "Is this seat taken?"

"Not yet," the fox said, not even glancing to him.

The rabbit sat down upon a chair, the half-wall now concealing him from the rest of the room - except for Mister Memory, who was much too taken up with answering questions to notice them.

The silence dragged on for several seconds, both mammals watching the stage, waiting to see who would make the first move. A smartly dressed waiter approached the table and addressed the fox.

"Can I offer Sir a drink?" he said.

"Not for me, but my friend here will have a Bloody Mary, not too spicy, hold the ice."

"At once, Sir," the waiter said, walking off.

The rabbit watched as he retreated. He sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest. "Well, well," he said dryly, "you have done your homework."

"I like to know who I'm dealing with," the fox said, swirling the red liquid in his glass.

"So do I," the rabbit replied, turning to the fox, "but as it stands, I don't know a thing about you."

"What did you want to know?"

"We'll start simple: your name."

The fox's eyes rose to meet the rabbit's for the first time. "...Willis," he said, offering a paw, "Mick Willis."

"Jake Smith," he said, shaking his paw.

A smirk grew on the fox's face at hearing the name. He retracted his paw. "So... _Smith_... you got here at last?"

"Would've been here sooner if you'd given me an address rather than an elaborate riddle to find you with."

"Don't tell me you didn't have fun. I thought you guys lived for cracking codes and breaking puzzles. Besides, I had to see if you had what it took, up here," Willis said, tapping his forehead.

"Well, now that I've passed your _test_ , how about you tell me what it is you want."

The fox sat back in his chair as he considered, watching the rabbit with keen interest as he spoke. "Two close friends of mine, Ronnie and Reggie Kray, have organized a... well, shall we say _party_? Next week at one of the banks in Tundratown. Sadly, it appears that one of the friends they invited to this _party_ , was actually working with the Ministry of Intelligence, because the ZPD was recently informed by the MI-Z that they should consider updating this particular bank's security systems. Now, my friends~"

The fox trailed off and gazed back up to the stage as the waiter returned to the table with a glass of red liquid on a tray. He set the glass down on the table in front of the rabbit who picked it up and sniffed at it, cautiously. "On the house, Sir," the waiter said, "with our compliments." He walked away again, watched by the fox and the rabbit.

Turning back to Smith, Willis started again. "Now, my friends - and the drink isn't poisoned, by the way - have put a lot of time into organizing this little party up at the bank, and so were hoping they could still go through with it. I, being the good friend I am, did what I could to find out about the new systems, but sadly, to no avail. 'Now,' I thought, 'since I can't help directly, wouldn't it be nice if I could find someone who works for the MI-Z, who could snap a couple of photographs of said security system's blueprints for me?' I think you'll agree with me," he added smugly, "but that would be a nice thing to do, wouldn't it?"

"Well," Jake said, looking down at his glass, "that's an odd sort of thing to ask an agent working for the other side."

"A crooked agent," the fox corrected.

"I'm not crooked," he shot.

"If you weren't before you are now; you're talking to me, ain't ya? Well, making deals with the enemy, that's defecting, sweetheart."

"It's not defecting, it's just... doing what has to be done."

"Yeah... you just keep tellin' yourself that, Stripes. You'll start believing it someday."

"Look, Mister Willis, when I look upon a city such as ours I see not darkness, but hope. This corruption is but a passing thing, though I cannot cleanse this place alone. Doing _this_ for _you_ is but a necessary evil if it means I might some day be able to rid this city of the foulness hanging over it."

"And predator and prey will live in harmony and sing Kumbaya," the fox said, deadpan.

"You laugh. You mock. But some day you and all your kind will be swept like litter from our streets. The forces of good shall prevail. My will shall be done!"

"You're arse ever get jealous?"

"Jealous? My arse? Of what?"

"Of all the shit that just came out of your mouth."

"Mister Willis, I do not-"

"Okay, you want me to spell it out for you? Fine. Tell me if this sounds about right. Naive little hick with good grades and a love of spy thrillers thinks, 'Hey, look at me, I'm gonna be a secret agent and rid all evil from the streets of Zootopia!' Only to find, woopsy, crime is embedded into every corner of this city, far too much for a single dumb bunny to solve. And that dream of being a double-oh-seven super spy? Double whoopsie! No-one ever takes the 'rabbit spy' seriously and said rabbit ends up spending his days filling out menial paperwork at the Ministry of Intelligence headquarters, never having been given the chance to do real spy work, while lesser mammals are being sent out on Top Secret assignments all around him. And whoopsie number three-sie, without ever having been given the opportunity to prove what a great spy he really is, the truth slowly dawns on our rabbit that he will never be anything else but a glorified secretary, and his determination gradually sinks lower and lower into the mud, 'till our rabbit finally has no choice but to agree to a secret meeting with a mysterious _fox_ from The Firm, who claims he can make all our deluded bunnie's dreams of being a real-life spy come true. Am I right?"

The rabbit didn't move, didn't blink, didn't utter a sound.

"And what's more, you don't give a damn about this city or it's people. Deep down inside, in the darkest places of your soul, all you really care about is you, your ego, your reputation." The red fox sat forwards slowly, his muzzle spitting into a wide grin as he spoke in a soft voice. "So, here's the deal. You wanna be a real spy? You're gonna have to get a few recommendations under your belt. My associates just so happen to have 'influence' over a number of police chiefs, majors, superintendents, the list goes on. These photos are just the start. You keep us posted on what the ZPD and MI-Z are planning, maybe even do a little light _sabotage_ for us, an' I'll get you all the commendations you ever need to someday become Agent One."

"You have the authority to ordain this? Don't you need the Kray's permission?"

"They trust my judgment. I'm no pawn."

"...and if I decline?"

"Then get practicing your speed typing, 'cause you're about to spend a real long time filling out paperwork."

After a few moments thought, the rabbit slowly tilted his head to one side. "I wasn't too sure of who I was talking to initially, but I think I know now. I've heard a lot of rumours about you. Is it true what they say?"

"Is what true?"

"That you're the only Firm operative who's never pulled a gun?"

"Well, doesn't word get around? Yeah, it's true."

"Are you really that cocky? Or just that stupid?"

The fox's expression turned grim. "...I'm just that good."

"Well I'll be blown, it is you. 'The fox with the lightest touch.' You do realize, now I know who you are, what a dumb decision you've made in coming here." The fox grimaced further, the rabbit smirked, the rolls apparently reversed. "Think about it, foxy, if I singlehandedly arrest a criminal agent of your calabour, well, that's me on the fast-track to being given real espionage missions anyway. And since you apparently never pull a gun," he added, reaching into an inner pocket, "all I've gotta do is pull..."

He froze, the muzzle of a handgun pressing into the small of his back, and the sound of a voice like soft velvet filling his ears. "Hey, sweetie."

"Oops," the fox said mockingly, a grin forming, "didn't see ya there Hun. Mister Smith, allow me to introduce a _very_ close friend of mine."

"We've met," she said, her mouth slipping close to the rabbit's ear, "haven't we, Hun-bun?"

The rabbit's expression darkened. "You'd have to be insane to shoot me," he breathed, "My contacts-"

"Your contacts don't count for shit against a bullet in the head," the male fox cut in with a sudden display of temper, "Not even all the king's horses and all the king's men could put you back together after that; so unless you've got some kind of pact with the devil, I'd suggest you start being a bit more helpful."

Though his ego hated him for it, the rabbit admitted to himself that the fox held a strong advantage. Moreover, he was offering exactly what he wanted. Taking his hand back from inside his jacket pocket, the black-striped rabbit lay his hands on the table. Behind him, the female fox slipped the silver gun back into her bag.

"You have two options," the male said, "- well, three technically, but I don't think pulling a gun and getting shot in the head is the best idea for you right now - so there you have it. One, you stand up now and walk outta here. No-one will try to follow you, you'll get home safe and sound, tomorrow you'll be back filling out paperwork, and the two of us will never meet again. Otherwise..." his paw slipping into his outer breast pocket, he took out a small camera which he proffered towards the rabbit. "...you do a little 'sight-seeing' for us."

'Jake Smith' turned in his seat and gazed into the soft, blue eyes of the curvaceous vixen sat behind him. She smiled at him, winking. The rabbit turned back, and his eyes locked with the vulpine's glistening, intelligent emeralds. Without a word, he reached out, and took the camera.

"Good man."

"How will I contact you?" he asked as he stood.

"I will contact you."

The rabbit nodded, stepping away. "Well, Mister Wilde," he said, "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"On the contrary, Mister Savage," Nick replied without turning, "the pleasure, was all mine."

Jack gazed down at the couple, Wilde's arm slipping around the female's waist as she moved herself closer. The rabbit turned, slipped the camera into his pocket and paced away. He reached the outer door, drew his tan Ulster coat close around him against the rain, and slipped into the cold embrace of night.


	37. Taking Matters into Paw

_._

 _~ Eight years after the previous chapter ~  
_ _~ Present Day ~_

A line of thick crimson trickled from the corner of Nick Wilde's mouth. He drew his teeth back from pinching around Jack's neck and shoved a tight paw into its place: sharp claws pressing roughly into the windpipe of Savage's neck. Taking the back of his free paw, the fox wiped at the red running from one corner of his mouth, smudging blood across his muzzle. His hard eyes bore down into the rabbit pressed against the wall before him. His grip tightened.

The rabbit sucked in a dry, drawn-out breath. It shook a little, but Jack managed to hide most signs of fear as he spoke. "Okay, Mister Wilde, you have my attention. What is it you wish to discuss?"

"You know exactly what I want, _'Smith'_ ," Nick shot back, in the mood for anything but a light-hearted chat, "I want you to leave Hopps and me the fuck alone."

Jack masked a convincing smirk over his fear, such as it was. "Such harsh words to hear from such a gentle mammal. Whatever would Hopps think if she heard you now?"

"She'd think, 'why haven't I slashed this little runt's eyes out yet?', that's what she'd think!"

"And if I told her everything I know about you? What then would she think of you?"

"You can't tell her," the fox said, plainly, "and that's not an empty threat, it's a fact. If you let on about my past then sooner or later you'll face the question, 'how do you know'. And what are you gonna say, 'I'm a defected agent who spent three years selling MI-Z information to the Kray's for my own personal gain?' Not likely. Face it, either of us spill what we know 'bout the other; we throw ourselves under the bus too. Stalemate."

"No, it isn't a stalemate," Jack said, managing to be threatening despite the large paw pressing into his neck, "after all, all I need to do is 'find' enough evidence to have you convicted for this drug spree, and anything you say about me will instantly be discredited as nothing more than you trying to take me down with you. _I_ have the advantage."

" _No,_ " Nick breathed, his voice becoming a low growl as his grip around Jack's neck tightened, Jack starting to twist uncomfortably as he struggled to breath. "No, that just makes me desperate. And a desperate fox is capable of just about anything."

"W-Wilde, killing me won't get you-"

"On the contrary, Savage. Killing you will get me just about anywhere." The rabbit's eyes started to loose focus, unable to breath, his heart pounding in his chest. Nick moved closer, bringing his face inches from Jack's, his voice a harsh whisper in the rabbit's ear. "This, is your first and final warning. You either leave me and my Hopps alone, or I'll show you just how savage a _real_ predator can be."

Gazing grimly into Jack's face, Nick watched as the life started to fade from his eyes - something the fox had seen oh so many times in the past - before dropping the rabbit like a dead weight to the floor.

Crawling onto all fours, Savage clutched at his throat, retching and coughing as he forced breath back into his lungs. Wilde stood over him, watching.

"All - all these years," Jack wheezed, "and I thought you were dead."

"Yeah, I bet you had a real panic attack when you heard my name."

"Whatever _did_ happen to you? For three years you came to me for information, pushing me higher and higher up the agency ladder in exchange for bigger and evermore sensitive information. Then, all of a sudden, you stopped. What happened?"

The fox was still for a long moment. "I had an epiphany. It came to me in the form of a near-death experience. It made me look at myself, my life around me, and showed me the things that really mattered."

"You think you're a bloody poet now?"

The fox grinned. "Oh, I've always had this poetic streak inside me, Stripes. For instance: There once was a rabbit called Jack / He stabbed his country in the back / But when the Kray's went astray, Jack ran away / and I hoped he would never come back."

Nick stepped forwards and took firm hold of Jack's wrists, knowing him still to be too weak to resist. He raised them and lifted the rabbit onto his feet before holding his arms straight up above his head, holding his wrists next to a water pipe on the wall, before cuffing both Jack's paws to it.

 _click_

"Hang around, Stripes," Nick said with a wink, "I'm sure the security guard will be along to let you down in an hour or two." The fox turned and started pacing down the corridor, a smirk on his face which turned to a scowl the moment his back was turned on the rabbit. He had intended to keep walking until he was far away from Jack, but then a low and ominous voice stopped him.

"And what about when I get out of these things, Wilde? What then?" The fox stopped and turned to snarl at the rabbit. "You can't hold off the stay of justice forever. You know that. And the fact you became a police officer, started calling yourself an 'honest' mammal, and fooled that innocent child from the Burrows that _you_ are in love with her? It makes me sick."

Nick fought for a witty response; tried to come up with a typically Nickish comment that could turn the tables of what Jack just said and twist his words to his own advantage. But his mind came up blank, his silver tongue failed him, and his ears fell flat against his head as he came to realize Jack was closer to the truth than he cared to mention. He couldn't hide from justice forever, not now Jack was at his heels.

Without a word Nick turned from the black-striped rabbit and paced on down the corridor, Jack's voice shouting to him mockingly as he faded into the gloom. "Go ahead," he jeered, "keep on running, keeping on hiding from who you are and what you've done. That's the only thing you or any fox has _ever_ been good for."

Nick paced hurriedly down the corridor, the rabbit's words echoing in pursuit behind him. He turned a corner, Jack out of sight, and his pace slowed as a thought struck him. His ears pricked up a little. _There was one detail the rabbit didn't get right._ A small smile formed, and the fox spoke to himself under his breath, "'Fooled that innocent child?' I'm not fooling anyone. I love Judy more than I've ever loved anyone, even ~" The fox trailed off as he paced to a stop, staring down at the floor. His eyes shut tight, he breathed slow breaths in the silence.

All these years, and he still couldn't bring himself to say Scarlett's name in vain.

In the silence, Nick heard the dull _thunk_ of a drip hitting the floor. He gaze lowered to see, just as another droplet of red fell from his mouth to join the other. Nick opened his mouth and raised a paw to his jaw, wiping it, and examining the blood stained across his hand. "Crap," he muttered as the adrenaline wore off and a painful, throbbing sensation grew where the rabbit's kick had hit him. " _Crap,_ " he said again, more urgently as he started pacing down the corridor, picking up speed as the tingling numbness left him to be replaced by pulsating, hot pain in his mouth.

He spotted a doorway at the end of the corridor with the light on and could see Judy Hopps moving about in the light through the glass windowpane. He jogged down the corridor towards it, also spotting the 'toilets' sign, clutching at his jaw as he ran.

Inside, Judy was just skimming through a hefty tome which listed all the companies established in a particular year, when the door behind her burst open. She dropped the book and turned, startled, as the door slammed open against the wall and the red fox rushed in. "Nick, there you are! What took you? Where have you been? What's going on?"

"I'm fine," he blurted as he rushed past her, darting towards the room marked 'toilets'.

"Nick, your mouth! What happened? Let me see."

"I'm fine!" he shouted, concealing a run as he rushed for the bathroom.

Confused and deflated, Judy stared at the bathroom door as it swung closed behind the fox. Slowly though, her sadness shifted into a different emotion... and her expression hardened upon the door, until it looked almost as though she could defy an inch of solid wood with the mounding fury in her gaze.

...

The door to the male's toilets burst open and Nick Wilde rushed in. Clutching at his jaw, he rushed for the sinks, lurched towards one, and spat a large mouthful of blood into it.

Cursing under his breath, Nick pulled back the corner of his lip to see the wide cut along the base of his gum and the bruise forming around it. It dawned on the fox he was lucky not to loose any teeth, a little higher and he'd have lost two for sure. He probed the cut with his tongue, winced, and spat a smaller mouthful of blood into the washbasin.

Behind him, the bathroom door opened again silently and a rabbit paced across the hard, tile floor. Nick was oblivious as he ran the cold tap and pushed his throbbing face beneath the cold rush of water, watching as the blood in the sink became diluted with the clear water and then, behind him, a paw touched him on the back.

Acting without thinking, the fox span on his heels and his sharp claws sliced through the air at the rabbit's chest-height. The small figure of the rabbit caught the paw by the wrist and twisted it, slipping behind the fox before bringing his paw up behind his back in an armlock, kicking his knees out and forcing him to drop to his knees.

"Ugh, _Judy!_ Jeez, you are strong."

"Better strong than weak," she retorted, keeping Nick firmly in an armlock on the floor. "I'm sorry it has to be this way, but if you're not going to tell me what's going on through choice, I'll have to get it by force."

"Isn't..." he tried, meekly, "Isn't this a little extreme?"

"I've had enough of your dodging the question, enough of your vague answers and of your 'I didn't want you to get involved'. I am your partner, romantically and professionally, do you have any idea what that means to me? Do you have any idea?!"

Judy pulled the armlock a little tighter and Nick beat his fist upon the floor like a wrestler tapping out. " _Ouch, ouch, ouch!_ I'm sorry, Hopps, but _**please!**_ "

"No! Not 'til you tell me what's going on."

"I've already told you, Hopps, I can handle _iirrugh_ ~" The rabbit pulled the armlock tighter. Wilde bent double, crippled on the floor. "Carrots... _**Carrots!**_ _"_ Nick warned, almost frantic, "you're gonna break my damn arm in a minute, Carrots!"

"I'm sick of your lies, Wilde," she said, unmoved. "This kind of behavior nearly cost us our relationship once already, and I'm _not_ going to let it happen again! From this moment on, I am taking matters into my own paws."

"Alright! Alright, I'll tell you, jeez, I'll tell you. Just - _arugh_ \- just let met up!"

The rabbit's grip loosened... but she didn't let go quite yet.

" _Nick_ ," the rabbit said again, no longer sounding angry, just tired, "please try to understand: I love you too much for you to do this to me. When I see you hurt, I'm hurt too. Your pain is my pain. So then you come running in, not only clearly very distressed but bleeding too? And I can't even talk to you about it? Do you have any idea how that feels?"

"Oh, Judy... Judy, I'm sorry, give me a hug, I didn't mean it." The fox slipped out of the loose armlock, twisted and, still crouched on the floor, put his arms around the rabbit. The rabbit didn't move in response.

"...and now you're using affection to try and make me forget all about it. You've used that little trick before." The rabbit sighed, her fear and sadness fading into simple irritation. "Oh well, I guess I'll just have to do things all off my own back. Just like it's always been."

"Hopps, look, I _will_ tell you, I promise. But let's just finish up what we're doing here," he said slowly, "and I, will tell you, about it, _later_. Okay?"

Judy growled. "Later," she said, "it's always later. Why can it never be now?"

"Well, if it was always now," Nick said, and Judy could already tell it was going to be a pitiful joke or play-on-words just by the stupid smug grin he was wearing. That wry smirk which the rabbit usually found so appealing, yet currently made her bitterness all the more unbearable.

Judy clamped her paw over Nick's mouth to stop the pathetic comment before it could start, and the muted Nick watched her in trepidation as her mood shifted from sadness to resolve as her expression became harder, her shoulders squared and stood an inch taller. She pushed the fox away, who ended up splayed on the bathroom floor, and drew her dart gun from her pocket.

"Erm, what - what's the dart gun for?"

"I'm gonna get the bastard who did this to you." Spinning on her heels, the rabbit marched from the room.

"Hey, wait! There is no-one, _I_ did this to me. I, erm, I tripped! Yeah, I tripped an-"

"Jesus Christ, Wilde," Judy shouted, her voice hoarse as she turned around to face the fox, "do you even want to marry me?"

"W-what?"

"You can only marry someone you trust," she shot, "but if you don't even trust me to look after you, you're not gonna trust me enough to _marry_ you. So I ask again, do you even want to marry me?"

Nick was struck by the raw passion in the rabbit's words; the glistening tears building around her eyes. For all tension, the pain in his arm, the shouting, the accusing... there was only one answer he could ever give to that question.

A little wetness building in the corners of his own eyes, Nick knelt down on the floor before the rabbit and brought his head close to hers. He reached out a gentle paw, wiped a single tear from her eyes, and rested his palm on her soft, smooth cheek.

"Of course I do, Judy Hopps."

Judy touched the fox's paw on her cheek. "Then let me help you. Please."

"I don't know why I treated you like a little kid needing protection," he said, his paw slipping back to caress Judy's ear, "you're so much more than that. My love, my partner... my friend." Nick lent slowly forwards towards the rabbit's face.

For all the heartache he so often caused her, for all his faults and his flaws, for all his lies and deceit... this was still Nick; this was still exactly where Judy wanted to be and this was still the mammal she loved. She didn't hesitate for even a moment before pressing her lips against Nick's in a long and regret filled kiss. From then the rabbit knew they were all made up... but there was still one thing she needed to ask.

"No more lies?"

"No more lies."

"No more secrets?"

"No more secrets."

"...you promise?"

A smile grew on Nick's face. An honest smile. "I promise."

Taking the fox's paw, Judy helped Nick to stand. Paw in paw, they made made their way from the bathroom. Nick pushed open the door and together they slipped out, making their way back towards the corridor, Nick's voice soft as he spoke to the kind-heated rabbit stood beside him.

"Come on, Jules. It's time you knew _everything._ "


	38. Truth

**I have an announcement I wish to draw your attention to. I am considering editing out chapters seven, eight and nine. The first of these was made only in response to it being Christmas, and the other two only to get Hopps and Wilde back to where the should have been when chapter six ended. This of course means that the days will not add up as it will technically be Thursday rather than Friday, but I feel the removal of these chapters will add to the momentum of the story sufficiently to make this, relatively minor, inconsistency worth it.**

 **If it pleases, I will give chapters seven, eight and nine a story of their own so that content is not lost.**

 **Enjoy,**  
 **Smail.**

* * *

A red moon rose over the desert sky. The city was ice-cold, black and still in the thin air. The only source of light and movement came from one of the small, upper-floor windows of the Lords Royal Tower.

Within the Master Bedroom, the Lord of Zistopia was drying himself with a white cotton towel. He dropped the towel down to the floor once dried and raised his arms while Secretary Appelby helped him on with his gray nightgown from behind.

"Is the furnace sufficiently prepared?"

"Fully fueled and stoked," his valet answered.

"Good. Oh, and one more thing, get my spy in the ZPD on the phone. I want to know of any more developments before my slumber."

"Spy, sir? Are you quite sure that is the most applicable term?"

The black panther smiled, thinly. "The best spy," he said, "is an unwitting spy. Do you not concur?"

The badger raised a thick eyebrow. "Indeed, sir."

"Then~" he nodded to the telephone, "if you please."

"At once, sir." Turning, the black-and-white stripped badger drifted towards the telephone. He picked up the bakelite receiver and entered a number into the rotary dial from his seemingly boundless memory. The phone rang twice, then was answered.

"Hiya! ZPD reception desk, Clawhauser speaking, how can I help you?"

"Secretary Appelby here. My master wishes to have a word."

"Oh great! How is he?"

A wide smile came onto the black panthers face as the badger handed him the phone. "All the better for hearing your voice, my friend. Now tell me," he said pleasantly, "how are things getting on for you and that dreadful drug spree you've been telling me about?"

" _Really_ great! We've just found out who Nyilas is; turns out he's some kind of professor!"

"Fabulous. And what of Hopps and Wilde, those two young officers, what are they up to?"

"Oh, erm... I shouldn't _really_ tell you," he whispered, "it's kind of a secret(!)"

"Come, my friend, I live on the other side of Zoophon! There's no harm in confiding with me. What influence could my knowing possibly have?"

...

Registry House was an old building, smaller than most in that area, for it had been designed with a smaller range of mammals in mind. For this reason, the chairs and table were low enough for Nick to sit quite comfortably with his legs resting on the floor and his hands clasped on the table. But this did noting to alleviate him of the growing sense of concern building within him as Judy sat down at the table, opposite him.

Judy sat down at the table knowing the cause of the cut on her partners lip was currently 'hanging around' in the corridor outside and she, naturally, wanted to meed this 'acquaintance'... _and show the little bastard exactly what happened when he messed with the boyfriend of a Hopps._ But, as Nick had pointed out, if she was going to learn the truth about his time with the Kray's, it would be far better hearing from himself than from his little, pawcuffed friend.

"So, erm," he said uneasily, staring down at his hands as he fidgeted them uneasily before him, "where should I start?"

"Start with whatever you feel comfortable with. We'll work from there." Nick looked up from his hands as Judy's paws reached out to touch his. "And stop treating this like some kind of interrogation. I only want to know so I can help you, Nick. As a friend, I want to help you."

"You... might not like what I have to say. In fact I know you won't, and if the wrong people were ever to find out about it, Bogo, for instance~"

Nick sat back in his chair and started pulling his hands away, and so Judy all but leaped up onto the table to keep her hands clasped in his. "I promise you, Nick, I shall never tell another living soul about what you tell me here so long as I live. And I promise - _I promise_ \- I will not let it effect our relationship in any way whatsoever, except for good."

Nick allowed his paw to close around Judy's has he spoke. "Judy, I know I've called you dumb about a million times in the past, but I've never really meant it. You know that. In fact, you're the smartest little bunny I've ever met."

She quirked an eyebrow at him as she released his paw and settled back in her chair. "Oh, smartest bunny? What are you saying, bunny's are dumber than the average mammal, you speciesist little-"

"Alright, wisebun, any femal _-mammal!_ Any mammal of any gender, species or ethnic origin. You're the smartest of them all. Anyway, my point is, when I was telling you about my past, I mostly skimmed over exactly what I was to the Kray's and in The Firm, and barely mentioned Scarlett at all. You know I skimmed over some important details, yet you didn't push me to tell you anything more than I was comfortable telling you and, I just wanted to let you know that I am very grateful for that."

"Wilde, I knew if you'd wanted to tell me, you would have. As long as I've known you, you've always had such a silk tongue, such a way with words; if ever you mention some thing, or fail to mention something, I know it with the only the best intentions at heart: trying to protect me; our relationship."

The fox smiled. "Well that's just it," he said, "my sharp tongue always was and still is my greatest weapon. Upon joining The Firm, I figured I didn't really need to pull a gun so long as there was time for talking it over. After all, working with Kray's, you could use house-sized bluffs with bells on and people would still believe you."

"But, bluffing aside, there must have been instances when talking didn't work."

"Oh, there was, but that's when Scarlett would come in useful. We had this little plan, you see. We stuck to it, and it never once failed us. I would take the lead role, drawing lots of attention to myself with all the smugness and self-assurance of a real mean baddie. Meanwhile, Scar is creeping up behind them with a gun in her bag. If things take a turn for the worst and my 'client' reaches for something, they get the gun-in-the-back treatment."

"And when that didn't work? What about when they threatened, I don't know, that their associates would be after you or something?"

"I had this line I used, what was it now? Something like, 'even all the king's horses and his men can't put you back after you've been shot, so put the gun away,' or something like that."

"Wow, you had it all worked out, then. I bet you did a lot of good work for those Firm guys."

"Yeah! Well, when word got around there was a new guy on the block who could get people to do with his tongue, what it took other guys threatening with a gun to get, the Kray's took an interest in me personally."

"And that's when you went to dinner with them?"

"Yep. They wanted to meet me and Scarlett on a more sociable basis so they could get a feel for who we really were. After eating, they spent about three hours talking to us - they asked all the questions, mind you - and after that, well I don't really know, but they left and made whatever arrangements needed to be made, and a few days later I was approached by one of their manager types and offered the position of Chief Recruitment Officer."

"It was your job to hire new hands for The Firm?"

"Primarily, but as Chief of that role, it was also down to me to manage and maintain the cover of our undercover operatives too. But for the most part, it was my job to locate suitable candidates we might recruit to our cause. It mostly depend on what the Kray's wanted, that being anything from a safe cracker to a grave digger." The fox sat back as he explained, Judy listening with interest to this new insight into the criminal circles.

"Say the Kray's were organizing some big bank raid, it'd be my job to hire some muscles who could fire a gun and who were greedy enough not to mind putting themselves at risk for cash. Now, the Kray's themselves wouldn't say what they wanted exactly, they'd just say what they were planning, and it'd be down to my own initiative to decide exactly what they would need. I had to know where to look, what to look for in the individual and, most importantly, how that individual might best be bribed. With some guys it was easy, you just offer them a cut of the spoils. Other guys were a little harder. But, at the end of the day, all mammals have their price."

Despite herself, a smile started spreading on the rabbits mouth. She was intrigued - and not a little in ore - of this new found level of intelligence she never knew the fox had and _gosh_ did it get to her in all the _'wrong'_ ways. "So, mister psychologist," she said with a sultry smile, "what would my price be? Say you wanted to get into bed with me, but had never met me, how would you go about making that happen?

Nick smirked. "What, other than seduce you utterly using my golden tongue alone, you mean? Then, I'd say..." Nick gazed at Judy with something of a smug smile as he ran through his options in his mind, but then his smile slowly fell, his expression becoming serious as dawned upon his conclusion. "...your family."

Her smile fell, her nose started twitching, and her voice was suddenly very small and meek. "...what?"

"Bribes of money definitely wouldn't work. If you were stuck being a meter maid long enough, the promise of promotion might get some results, but your ego isn't so inflated and your morals too strong to allow yourself to fall into the same trap Jack did."

"Jack?"

"I'll get to that. You're way too brave to be frightened and you're relentless in your pursuit of justice. The only option I'd have left to me would be to threaten harm on your family."

"And... and if, just theoretically, I hadn't done what you wanted, would you~?"

"No! God, no. I'm not a monster, Hopps, and I wasn't then. As I told you before, I've never killed, and that fact extends to _having_ people killed too. Look, at the very most I might have had one of your favorite sisters beat up a little, but not too bad, and not unless there was any other option or way of getting things done, and I would never have someone killed." Nick sat forwards and reached out a paw which he touched upon the shoulder of the startled and slightly fearful-faced rabbit. "I promise you."

A moment of tension passed across her face, and then Judy's smile returned a little and she reached up to touch the fox's paw. "Alright, Slick Nick," she said, "I believe you. And, just for the record, even if you had done some... less reputable things in your past, I still don't think I'd have it in me to leave you over it."

"Thank you, Hopps, for being so understanding."

"So, how exactly did you get this 'silver tongue'?" she asked with interest, "Were you just born with it or did it develop over time?"

The fox sat back, sobering instantly as he gazed off to the side. "If you said the wrong thing within twenty feet of my dad, you'd get a smack. I think that has something to do with it."

"Oh. Nick, I'm sorry I-"

"No, Judy, you need to know this. Now, after putting my in a coma for a while, he never dared touch me again so it wasn't all that bad, but after the little Cub Scout incident, I started learning how to defend myself. Not physically, verbally. I started watching the school bullies, started noticing how single-minded they were when threatening or bullying the other kids. I realized it only took a little push - a few carefully chosen words - and they'd more or less forget what they'd came for and would walk away thinking they'd won."

"So that's the reason? Right... I'd always, kinda, just thought it was, you know-"

"That it was just a fox thing?" he asked with a grin.

Embraced slightly, Judy nodded as she bit on her lower lip.

The fox chuckled, crossing his arms. "You know, Hopps, for someone so against acts of speciesism, you sure do have a lot of outdated ideas."

The rabbit blushed, shrugging her shoulders with a coy smile. "Hey, not that outdated. I'm dating you, aren't I? That's pretty modern thinking."

"Huh, futuristic I'd say! Any of your sisters date outside their species?"

"Well, a few married hares, and a couple of them married slightly larger mammals, but none that I can remember married a predator," she said, a blush growing as she added, "no less a fox." But then the subject of marriage brought her mind to another question, something she had been wondering about for a while. "So, how far did you and Scarlett actually _go_?"

"Did we spend a lot of time together? Yes, yes we did."

"That's all very well, Nick," she said, softly, "but that's not the question I asked."

Nick gazed at Judy in solemn silence for several seconds - of all the subjects she could have asked about, this was the one he was most uncomfortable discussing - but he had made a promise, 'no more lies, no more secrets', and he was going to stick to it.

"Alright, what do you mean 'go'? Sexually? Romantically? Emotionally?"

"Nick..." she leaned forwards, breathing in a long breath before her eyes rose to meet his, "did you marry her?"

For a moment which felt to last as long as the dawning of a new era, the rabbit's and the fox's gaze held firm upon one another with tight and tense emotion. After second as slow as the passing of a generation, Nick slowly let out his lungful of air and a small smile grew on his lips. "I'm glad you overestimated that, Carrots," he said, "rather then underestimate it."

The clouded fog of worry in Judy's mind started to clear. "You mean, you didn't marry her?"

"No, we didn't marry. But what I did do, Judy, was get engaged to her."

"You proposed to her?"

"Kinda. She told me to. Like, in the same way she told me to ask her out a few months after we first met, you know?"

"Yeah, I see. How did the two of you meet, anyway?"

"Not now," he said flatly, "not here, that's just... one step too far for the moment."

Judy nodded as she looked down at the table, accepting that there may be some things from his past that would always be too painful for him to recount no matter how much time had passed, and which she just didn't have any business knowing anyway.

"Actually, Carrots," he sighed, gazing at the tabletop, his expression troubled as Judy's gaze rose to look at him, "although we didn't marry, we still did a lot of, you know, the more physical side of a relationship. And, it's mostly because of that it took me so long to admit, just to myself, that I loved you."

"What are you getting at, exactly?"

"Come on, Hopps, you're smarter than that. You must know fox's only take one mate."

The rabbit's eyes started to widen as understanding slowly dawned. "I - I know foxes don't ever remarry, I know that much, but if you didn't actually _marry_ her then-"

"Oh, no, Hopps. It goes way deeper than that. We take one _mate_ , not one _wife_. For, as a young and naïve rabbit once said to a bunch of frightened news reporters, 'It's in our biology'." The rabbit appeared unsure. "Look, Carrots, you're a rabbit, so that means you inherently know more about the reproductive system than even I do."

Judy snorted. "Actually, knowledge of the reproductive system isn't inherit."

"But still, you must know that during lovemaking, certain chemicals are released. For foxes - alongside all other monogamous species - a certain set of chemicals are released which sorta hardwire the brain into wanting to be with that person. That's the reason it took me five months just to _accept_ I loved you. It's also the reason my Mom stayed with my dad, despite the fact he was a manipulative bastard. Now, these chemicals are only released during the first time fox's make love, and after that their kinda stuck with that person the rest of their life, whether they actually want to be or not is beside the point, their kinda bound to them; forced by their own psychology to stay. And it's impossible to recreate this 'binding force' with any other mammal once you've been bound once."

"Nicky, I - I want the truth here," she sighed, deeply, "are you telling me that... that you can never love me as deeply as you loved Scarlett?"

Nick stared at Judy in stunned silence. He saw a thin trickle of wetness form in the corner of Judy's eye and then, without a moments deliberation, he stood and shot forwards, gripped the table which lay like a barrier between them and pushed it aside, kneeling down on the floor before the rabbit who's bottom lip had suddenly started to wobble, and threw his arms around her small frame.

Judy closed her arms tight around her fox in return. She had meant to remain strong while asking the question, but the simple act of voicing it out loud had all but wrecked her emotional control and she started to quiver and hiccup small sobs as she buried her head into the soft warmth of Nick's neck.

Nick spoke to her urgently as he held her against his chest. "Now, you listen to me, you dumb, brave, beautiful little rabbit. If there's one thing I've learnt from you, it's what True Love feels like. What me and Scar had, it... it was a fling! I see that now. Just a young couple of young foxes looking for a little solace after a cruddy past, looking for someone to hold them and say their cared for them, but what me and Scar had was nothing but a shadow of what I feel for you. Nothing more than two young, brash kids playing games."

"But - but yesterday," she quivered, "when you walked out, I know I slapped you and I shouldn't have, but you just completely shut yourself off from me. I couldn't reach you, no matter how hard I tried!"

"I know Judy," he said, his voice turning soft, "I know, and I can never forgive myself for that. It's just, when Fin mentioned Scarlett, somehow, it made the whole thing real. I wanted to believe I was ready to love again but, when her name was mentioned, it put my biology into overdrive, screaming at me that 'we' could never be. I'm glad my biology was proven wrong. And when you came back to me, on the roof... it proved to me just how much you cared."

Nick's hug around Judy's body loosened a little and he sat back so he could look her in the eye. Judy kept her arms securely around Nick's neck, a little wetness still present around her eyes, but a small smile upon her face."

"As I said to you before," Nick continued, "you risked everything we had because you thought I needed help. You were prepared, selflessly, to sacrifice everything we had together, for _me_. Scarlett wouldn't have done that! I don't know if she'd have risked anything of great importance for my sake, and doubt I really would have her. When I was twenty-five, I got engaged to her, but it wasn't until after my twenty-eight she was... you know, ended. Why do you think we spent three years engaged without getting married? It was never meant to be. Personally, I doubt if we'd have lasted two months with one another if it wasn't for our biological binding."

Cradling her head, Nick gently lifted Judy's face and moved to gaze into her softly smiling expression. "But this - my attraction to you, my wonderful rabbit - is a love more binding and powerful of its own accord than my attraction to _her_ ever was. It's so strong, how I feel about you, that, in the end, it was _impossible_ to resist it. Even though loving you rebels against every fiber of my biology."

The fox took Judy's paws in his own. He lent forwards until his nose was touching hers and then, genitally, he smoothed his muzzle across her cheek, smiling, as he marked her with his lingering scent.

"I love you, Judy Hopps," he said, "with or without my biology's consent."

Judy drew her face back - her cheek now smelling resolutely of sweet fox - and brushed her lips gently against Nick's. A playful smile on her lips, her tongue peeped out of her mouth for an instant and she licked the fount of his lips, both enjoying the lingering, musky taste in her mouth... and wanting more. Her lips parted as her head drew nearer, her eyes glistening as she made to meet Nick's lips with hers - her tongue with his - and, as Nick's mouth also opened to meet what he could already tell would be a deeply heated kiss, it happened.

 _ **"Hopps!"**_

" _Ah!_ " Judy leaped back in shock, the chair tipped and would have fell, throwing Judy to the floor, had Nick not darted forwards and caught her in his arms to hold the chair from falling as she desperately tried to seize the police radio which had fallen from its casing and was now dangling and bobbing up and down unhelpfully on its wire.

"Hopps," Bogo shouted, "come in. Report!"

Nick carefully lowered the chair back onto all four legs as Judy caught the radio and responded, "Hopps here."

"Are you and Wilde still located at Reg' house?"

"Yes, sir."

"And what progress have you made?"

"None so far, sir."

"And why not? You should have had ample time to find out some information. What have you been doing all this time?"

Judy blushed a little as she struggled with an answer, thinking only the deep kiss which had almost come to pass the moment before her Chief called. "We... erh~"

"Oh," Nick cut in, "Hopps and I had to help give this old lady a hand crossing the road on the way over, and then she needed a hand doing her washing, so we helped her with that too but she just wouldn't let us go without making us a cup of tea to thank us first. That's what took us."

The sound of Bogo's voice grunted dismissively. "That comment was clearly a farce, and I _should_ deal you an official warning about wasting police time and find out what you've really been up to, but fortunately for you, I don't care. Just so long as you get all the necessities for a warrant by sixteen hundred hours so I can have it approved by seventeen hundred, that's all that matters."

"Don't you worry, sir," Nick said smugly, "we'll have got it long before then."

"Glad to hear it," Bogo said, followed sarcastically by, "seeing as you so _sure_ of your ability to get the task done efficiently and on time, then it shouldn't bother you to know I am giving you another assignment."

Nick's face fell, regretting his smugness instantly as Judy glared at him.

"What assignment?" she said, her fierce eyes not leaving Nick's.

"Officers Grizzoli, Rhinowitz and Higgins have identified Nyilas. We want you to pull him in."

"Already?" Judy said, "It sure didn't take long to find him, huh."

"He didn't exactly make himself difficult to find. Obliviously he never considered the possibility one of his minions would spill his name."

"So who is he?"

Over the radio, they heard the sound of a sheet of paper being picked up. "A-hem. Victor Csizmadia Almássy Nyilas, is a seventy-two-year-old billy goat. Born in Cieszyn, Czechoslovakia, he moved to Zootopia at the age of twenty-four and spent three years studying Archaeology and Ancient Civilizations. It was a full-time course and at the end he received a BA with honors. At twenty-eight, he became a full-time archaeologist and over the next forty years he held a successful occupation which took him all over Zoophon to study, in detail, every major ancient civilization going. Over the years, he also took up several other smaller studies including, most notably, the Study of Early Scriptures, Ancient Architecture and pole-dancing."

"What?" said Wilde and Hopps in unison, sounding flustered.

"What," said Bogo, sounding more flustered, before he shouted (over his shoulder by the sounds of it), "Who wrote this? Who? Clawhauser, stop grinning, this isn't funny; it's damned unprofessional!"

"Sorry, Chief," they heard Clawhauser say.

"Get out of my sight before I demote you to traffic warden," Bogo called. Over the radio, they heard a door open then shut, heard Bogo sigh, then he spoke again. "After over forty years in the field - during the course of which he married and had three kids - Nyilas, at the age of seventy, retired from archaeology and settled with his wife in Zootopia and now gives regular lectures at the University of History and Arts. And just so we're clear, he never studied pole-dancing."

"Chief," Nick said, after a moments thought, "this might sound an odd question, but indulge me. Has Victor Chizz... Csizmold Allmessy... Allmerry-"

"Victor Csizmaldia Almássy Nyilas?" Judy asked.

"Yeah," Nick said, "has... who Hopps just said, ever been to Zistopia?"

The line went silent as Bogo skimmed through the report. Nick and Judy heard the sound of pages turned over before he found it. "Ah, yes, he visited Zistopia several times in his career, most notably to lead a dig in the desert sands just outside the city limits shortly before he retired from archaeology and became a Professor. That was one year ago."

Nick turned to look at Judy; Judy's brow furrowed. "So," he said, "what's the plan, do we know where he is?"

"At ten o'clock, Nyilas is giving a speech on Zistopian archaeology and architecture. It is now coming up to eight. That should give you enough time to find out what you can at Reg' House and get to the University of Arts in time for the speech. After, you will follow him back to his study, approach him, and arrest him. If all goes to plan it should be a nice, quiet, organized arrest - he is sixty-three, after all."

"Chief," Nick warned, "we can't be all that sure we can get all you need for a warrant just from the paperwork alone."

"That should not be a problem," Bogo said, "after you have arrested and brought Nyilas to ZPD HQ, you should still have ample time to infiltrate Erkin and attain as much evidence as we need, bearing in mind, of course, that I'll need an hour have it approved and legalized, so I need it in my hoof by four o'clock. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir," Judy said, "we'll-"

Something clicked in the fox's mind, and then he grabbed the radio from Judy's paw and spoke. "Wait, sir, I don't think we have enough time to get what we want here done in the time we have. It might take us a little longer than that."

Bogo's reply came smugly. "Then you will have to learn to be more efficient in your application of time, Officer Wilde. Two hours is plenty enough. Now," he added sharply, "back to work." The radio crackled, then went silent.

Nick stood slowly, crossing one arm over his chest and bringing the paw of his other hand up to his chin in brooding thoughtfulness. "Fluff," he said, "we have a problem."

The rabbit frowned. "What's the matter?"

"It's gonna take us at least half an hour to get to the University of Arts with the traffic as it is at this time of day. That gives us only an hour and a half here. If you want to have a thorough talk with Jack, there's not going to be time to dig up all the info on Erkin we need."

"And visa versa, I'm guessing." The fox nodded. "Well," she said slowly, "we're just gonna have to prioritize finding out what we can about Erkin. That's what Bogo thinks we're doing, after all."

"Actually," Nick said, "it would be an easy enough thing to speak to Jack and then bluff to Bogo we couldn't find anything useful about Erkin. If you wanted to speak to Jack, you can still do that, and Bogo will be none the wiser."

"But, if we can't find out enough evidence for a raid warrant, we're gonna have to infiltrate Erkin itself later. We might get caught. Killed even!"

"True, true. That is a risk, but for all we know, we might not get the evidence we need from here anyway, and those cuffs aren't gonna hold Jack forever. As it stands, we hold all the cards against him. That's a rare advantage to have over somebody, and if we let him slip now, and if you want to speak to him later, then it'll have to be on _his_ terms. And Jack's terms are always very one-sided."

"Let me get this straight," Judy asserted, "either we speak to Jack now and risk getting captured at Erkin Enterprise later, or we don't speak to Jack and find out what we can about Erkin now - at the expense of loosing any information he might have - and hope it's enough to get Bogo a warrant?"

"That about wraps it up," Nick said, "speaking to Jack puts us at high risk later; not speaking to him puts us at low risk, but we do lose out a lot of information, and if we can't find what we need on Erkin now, we'll be at just as high a risk later anyway and will have missed out on what Jack might have had to tell us. So, how are we going to decide?"

"I know," Judy said, clicking her fingers, "we'll throw it open to the public vote!"

"You mean, we'll 'ask the audience'?"

"Yep. Okay," she said, turning to you, "you ready? **You have a choice, what should we do? That is the question. Do you think we should stick to our orders and find out what we can about Erkin with the time we have, or pursue our own line of inquiries with Nick's pawcuffed pall? You will now find a poll in operation on the author's info page. You can vote and/or leave your reasons for your decision in a review. Votes are great, but if the reasons set down in your review hold a strong argument, that'll be of merit too and will also count towards the final verdict. Votes close Tuesday twenty-second, early, baring in mind the author works by the Great British Timezone."**

Nick watched with a bemused smile as she finished addressing the invisible audience. "Well, what do we do now?" he asked.

"We just wait, I guess," she answered.

"But, we're running out of time to decide."

"Not really," the rabbit pointed out, "you see, there's a difference between _real_ time and _our_ time. For example, how many days ago did you take me to dinner at Joe's?"

"Monday. So five days ago."

"Yes, but in _real_ time, outside of our time, it was over a year ago due to the fact updates come only once a week."

"So, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying we have until next Friday to decide."

"You mean we can knock off early and Bogo won't shout at us?"

Judy sighed, but then smiled. "You're missing the point, but yes, that's exactly what I'm saying."

"Oh... well, okay," he said heading for the door, "I'm going for a beer, Hopps. You coming?"

"Yeah, I'm coming," she said, following the fox. She stopped him in the door frame, calling lightly. "Wait, Nick, just one more thing. Erm... if you hadn't mated before, so didn't have your biology to hold you back, how... how would our relationship be different?"

Nick gazed into Judy's face. She didn't appear to be sad or concerned, just intrigued. His eyes wandered slowly down her body, her shining amethysts and tiny pink nose, her shapely shoulders and trim waiste, her wide hips and the smooth slope of her hindquarters. Those, and all the other things about her body which had excited and aroused the fox insatiably since just about the day he met her.

"Well, for one thing, I certainly wouldn't have enough self-control to abide by your parents sex after marriage wishes. That'd go for sure."

Judy giggled, "Really, foxy?" she said walking through the door frame Nick was stood in, slapping his rump playfully as she slipped past.

Nick watched her with a wide smile. Reaching back into the room, he flicked off the light switch, the room falling into darkness as the door swung shut.

All was silent and still. But then, from the corridor outside, a voice called out. "Erm, hello? Mrs Hopps? I'm... I'm still pawcuffed to the wall over here. Anyone? _Urgh, bloody hell._ Hello? Hello! ...damn it."

* * *

 **Just in case anyone needs it explaining, the dialogue in bold (and all below that) is just a bit of messing about. In the story, they aren't about to go to the pub, so don't assume that's where the next chapter will take place. In fact, the whole end part will be removed come the end of this week (including the part Judy says to the audience in bold) and replaced with something more... shall we say... authentic.**


	39. Chessmen

Judy paced irritably back and forth across the carpeted floor of the Registry House department of Manufactures of Electronic Components. The room was lit by a system of almost ancient beam lights which illuminated the room, if only just, in dull yellow light. Every wall was covered with shelves, the small room was an almost labyrinthine maze of skeletal frame-bookcases, the surfaces of which were packed with thick wads of files and stuffed full of yellowed paperwork with crisp and delicate pages.

Nick watched the rabbit as she paced back and forth in front of him, her arms crossed against her chest and her expression tight and troubled. The fox sat forwards in his chair, opening his palms out towards her. "What does your instinct say?"

The rabbit paused. "Research Erkin. Avoid danger later."

"Then that's what we should do."

"Oh," the rabbit groaned, pacing again, "but it's not as easy as that! What if we can't find anything about Erkin here anyway? Nothing incriminating, that is. We'd loose our chance to talk to Jack."

"Hopps," Nick said, pulling his phone and checking the time, "it's already five past eight. We're running out of time; it's time to decide."

"Couldn't we just research Erkin now and take Jack in the car with us?"

"You mean uncuff him, drag him to the cruiser, and cuff him inside that?"

"Yeah."

"Wouldn't work, Hopps. The moment we take him out of those cuffs, he'd escape."

"How?"

"He's an expert in like, I don't know, Aikido or something. I mean all he'd have to do is incapacitate me and overbalance you for a few moments, and that would be it: bye-bye Jack."

"But..." the rabbit said, squinting, "but _you_ managed to control him."

Nick snorted. "I had him by the _throat_ , Hopps. If I'd given him half a chance he would've turned the tables and had me on the floor in a second. What were you hoping to say to Jack anyway?"

Judy stopped pacing and turned to the fox. "I was going to tell him exactly what would happen if ever he so much as damaged a _hare_ on your body again."

"Wouldn't it be enough to just knee him in the... undesiraballs?"

"I... guess," she said, faltering, "but I also wanted to get an idea of who he is and what he's like. Also, I wanted to see if I could make some kind of deal with him."

"A deal," Nick said, standing, "with _Jack_?!"

"Hey," Judy complained, taking a step back from the irate fox, "don't take it like that."

"You can't make a deal with Jack! You... you dumb bunny! You don't even have anything to bargain with. He doesn't need money, he's already Agent One of the MI-Z, if he has a family he never sees them and if you try beating information out of him he'll d just have you jailed. You could probably use sexual persuasion to get a deal out of him, I guess, but if you so much as even _think_ of going to bed with that jerk I'm gonna take a blunt knife and cut of that little bastard's ba-"

"Nick, calm down. I'm not trying to bribe him or scare him, and I certainly wasn't thinking of going to bed with him."

"Well then what... how were you planning to do it?"

Inside her stomach the rabbit felt a giddy, playful sensation grow. It was childish and mischievous, and made a small blush grow on her face. "You know, if I wasn't an officer, my Mom once swore I'd be an actress. I haven't actually done any performances for over ten years..." The fox raised an eyebrow; Judy grinned. "But I think it's time I put those skills to use."

Nick crossed his arms. "And what part do you plan to play?"

"The part," she swooned, "of the attractive, helpless, _innocent_ little victim who needs protecting from the _vile_ fox."

The fox's arms went slack as he stared, gobsmacked, at the rabbit.

"What?" She winked. "I'm only giving him what he wants - telling him what he wants to hear. Isn't that the idea of how to bribe someone; give them what they want?"

After a moment, the fox's bewilderment grew into a wide grin. "Bribing someone with words alone? You sneaky little minx." A sly smile grew on Judy's face; the fox chuckled at her expression. "If only I'd have thought of that one: bribing someone with words alone, whatever next?"

"Thanks, Slick," she said, turning to the door. "Oh, keys?"

"Right here," he said, tossing them over.

"Thanks," she said as she made her way out, calling over her shoulder, "you stay here and find what you can about Erkin; this won't take long."

"Hey, Hopps." The fox smiled as Judy's head reappeared from around the door frame for one last time. "Break a leg... preferably _his_."

A grin split on the rabbit's face. "If things don't go how I plan them? Certainly." Judy's head disappeared, the door swinging shut behind her.

...

Jack Savage stared up at the floor above him, dangling upside-down from the sealing with his legs wrapped around one of the beam-lights above. After finding himself alone in the corridor, the striped rabbit had used the pawcuffs securing his writs to the wall to support his weight as he walked his way up to the roof so his body was above his hands and his hands in front of his body.

The rabbit jostled. He felt movement in the outer breast pocket of his suit jacket. He froze as he felt it slip - he only had one shot at this, after all. With one last little jostle, an unusually thick credit card slipped out of his outer pocket and fell into his waiting paws beneath.

Smiling, Jack released his feet form the light and he dropped back down to the floor. He fidgeted with the credit card. Though he was unable to see for the fact his paws had been secured behind him, the rabbit managed to slip open the credit card with the false bottom and access the secret compartment within.

By touch, he selected the two most appropriate lockpicks and allowed the case to drop to the floor. Kneeling forwards slightly, holding his tongue between his teeth in concentration, Savage inserted the picks into the lock of the pawcuffs he was held in and started to work at the pins inside. He felt the first click into place after several moments of uncomfortable shifting. These locks were designed to resist being picked and so it was a difficult and complicated challenge which required all his mental attention and a great amount of dexterity. The second pin clicked into place, his hands becoming clammy with the strain. _Only three more to go._ He was about to start work on the third when a small, echoing thump from somewhere down the corridor grabbed his attention.

His ears shot upright at the noise of a door being closed. If his judgment was correct, it was the same door Nick had used, and by the sounds of footsteps coming towards him, it sounded like the fox had come to finish the job. Starting to panic a little, Jack withdrew the picks from the lock, grimacing as he heard the pins snap back into place, standing upright as he slid the secret-compartmented credit card beneath his leg so it was hidden under his foot.

His ears twitching left and right as they adjusted on their target, Jack's brow started to furrow. By the sound and noise the footsteps were making, he would have assumed it wasn't a fox but a smaller mammal, and by the apparent speed they were walking at, it appeared whoever it was, was feeling more apprehensive and concerned then brash and bold like Nick would have been.

A silhouette started moving up the wall. The silhouette of a small yet large-eared mammal not unlike himself.

Jack's eyebrows raised in surprise as the female rabbit came into view. She turned the corner into Jack's line of sight but didn't appear to spot the black-striped creature, looking up and down the length of the adjoining corridor nervously. She turned to look down the corridor Jack was in. Her eyes met his. And what happened next surprised Jack even more.

"Oh, thank _goodness_ I've found you!" Judy said, bolting down the corridor towards Jack. She reached the startled rabbit, and the moment she did, she threw her arms tightly around him. "I'm so frightened," she whimpered, "you have to help me, I don't know what I'll do if you don't."

The offensive front Jack had made dissolved at her embrace. He swallowed. "Miss... Miss Hopps?" He didn't know if it was surprise at the manor of her appearance - or the pleasure of the female's arms around his waste and her nuzzling into his cheek - but the male rabbit's voice was suddenly very soft and smooth. "What... what happened?"

The rabbit's arms came tighter around him. Jack wondered if she was crying as she wiped her eyes against his neck. "He... he's a monster."

"Wilde?"

She nodded, taking her arms from around his waste and wrapping her paws, softly, around his neck as she rested her head submissively against his chest... something Jack didn't mind one bit. The male subtly breathed in a little of the rabbit's appealing scent as she brushed her head against his chest, making his legs quiver a little as he spoke, his voice soft. "Tell me, what's he done?"

"He scares me, bullies me, makes me feel insecure."

"But I've been listening in to the two of you at his apartment. It didn't sound like you were unhappy with him."

"He... I have to constantly pretend I'm happy to be with him, or else, he says he'll beat me."

"So why do you stay with him? Why don't you report him; arrest him, even?"

"He said he'd get my family if ever I told anyone."

Lowering his head, Jack placed his nose between the base of Judy's ears, taking in a lingering breath of her scent and no longer worrying about making it oblivious.

Judy fought to control a smirk. "You like my scent?" she asked, timidly.

"I like _you_."

Judy drew her head back to look into Jack's face, watching with hidden amusement as she watched his pupils dilate.

"I think you're beautiful; I've thought that since the moment I saw your photo in my report. You know," he continued slowly, drawing his face closer to hers... "fox's can only take one mate their whole life. Rabbits, however... rabbits like you and I... are not so unfortunate. When this is all over and Wilde's behind bars, how about I take you out to dinner somewhere, take you back to my place for a drink and... see what happens?"

Jack moved his head forwards to press his lips against Judy's. Luckily, the female had expected this move and managed to swiftly avoid the meeting of lips by moving her lips close to his ear.

"That sounds really great," she whispered through gritted teeth, "but first, we need to figure out what we're gonna do about Nick."

"How long do we have?"

"Not long. I'm only able to talk to you now because he's in the bathroom tending to the cut you gave him."

"I went easy on him," Jack muttered, "I won't let it happen again. I should've broken that damn fox's jaw. Okay, we'll meet up later. There a café near your place?"

"There's a little restaurant called Joe's Place I know of."

"Right. Do you think you'll be able to get away from Wilde long enough?"

"Oh, I think that should be easy enough."

"I'll see you after the raid then. Yes?"

"And you'll tell me all your plans?"

"I swear, I will tell you everything."

Judy took her arms back from around Jack's neck and took her key out of her pocket, stepping closer to Jack to reach around behind him and undo the pawcuff locks. Judy regretted her move instantly.

Jack's head shot forwards and his lips pressed firmly against hers.

Judy froze, a mixture of uncontrollable rage and panic instantly building within her. Jack drew his lips away. Judy stood in motionless silence as he gazed at her with a self-satisfied smirk. Without a word she swiftly undid both cuffs and stepped back from the male, resisting the urge to gag.

"Now, get going," Jack said smoothly, mistaking Judy's freezing up for surprised pleasure as he rubbed his wrists, not even looking at the rabbit he jut kissed, "Wilde will be out of the bathroom soon. You don't want _him_ knowing where you've been."

If Judy had opened her mouth, she knew only curses would follow; so she just turned sharply and marched hurriedly away.

Jack's face rose with a smirk as Judy disappeared, picking up his lockpicking set. _You sure haven't lost your touch,_ he thought _. Barely ten seconds alone with the doe and you're already practically in her paints. Might be a new personal record_. The male rabbit turned, licking his tongue along his lips as he started to walk, running through, in the back of his mind, a few of the positions he might lake to take her through later. Maybe he'd strip her, lay her down on the bed and give her a nice massage... maybe give her something a little rougher... maybe even borrow those pawcuffs for a while.

He grinned, continuing to consider all the things he might like to do to his new plaything. It didn't matter what the fox did now; that rabbit was his. Jack knew he had charmed Hopps into wanting to mate with him, and there was nothing could be done to change that now.

...

Nick Wilde jumped as the door slammed open.

"That _**stuck-up, jerkish, black-striped little bastard!**_ Do you have any idea what he just did to me?" she screamed, "Do you have **any** idea?"

" _E_ r-"

"He _kissed_ me, the bastard." Judy spat at the floor and started furiously wiping her mouth on her sleeve. "God, I _stink_ of him. Nick, come here and mark me."

Nick blinked. It was unusually good fortune for any male mammal to have a female practically _ordering_ them to mark them with there scent, but he wasn't about to argue.

Judy stepped towards the fox as he knelt down to her height, pressing herself readily against him as his muzzle started to rough and smooth against the side of her neck. "It's all sorted out though," she sighed, her anger subsiding, "he thinks I hate you. We're meeting up at Joe's Caff later and he's going to tell me everything he knows."

"So all in all," Nick said, "you played him like a violin."

"Yeah. I still taste him on my lips though. Give me a kiss."

The fox obeyed, parting his lips for her as her arms hooked around his head and pulled him deeply into the heated kiss she gave. Nick wasn't sure if kiss was as thorougher as it was simply because Judy wanted it or because she wanted to be sure that all of Jack's scent was gone... but either way, he didn't mind.

After a long and heart-pounding moment, Judy drew her lips and her tongue back from Nick's. "How long do we have?" she asked, her eyes now sparkling a little with emotion.

"A little over an hour. Plenty of time if we don't get _distracted_."

A smile grew on the rabbit's face. The smile slowly grew into a wide grin. "Aww, you sure we don't have time for just a _little_ fun?"

"Much as I'd love to say yes, Carrots, in my experience, we do seem to be quite prone to _accidentally_ going further than we intended to. Lets just see what we can find," he said, fully aware he was sacrificing a make out session with Judy for the sake of some paperwork, "and save all the fun stuff for this evening."

Judy smiled, a little sadly, but accepting the situation as it was. "Okay," she said as she drew her arms back, "what have you found?"

"Take a seat."

Judy sat. Nick thumped down a thick, old book down on the desk in front of her, opened it to a bookmarked page, and sat down beside her.

"Well," he said, "this thing is the Companies Registrar. It lists all the businesses set up in Zootopia in the past twenty years. It doesn't tell you anything about the company itself apart from the year it was started, it's name, and it's Company Number - which is like the companies fingerprint, kinda thing."

"You've found Erkin's?"

"It's, erh," he said, leaning into the book and running his finger along, "zero, four, six, three, eight, seven, two, seven."

"Oh, good... and that helps us how?"

"Everything in this building is, or should be, kept in numerical order, and now we have the number, we should be able to find everything a lot quicker."

"So," she asked, her brow furrowing, "what is it we're looking for, exactly?"

The fox sat forwards, slowly. "In all honesty, Hopps, I don't have a clue. This is the realm of legitimate business procedures; it all goes over my head."

"But what might constitute enough of a reason for something to warrant a raid?"

"I guess we could look at there import/export sheet and see if there are any inconsistencies. I mean, I doubt they're gonna write 'eighth of march, imported three thousand grams cocaïne', but we might get something. The real problem here is that, we have to remember, we don't, technically, know for sure that they are criminally involved."

"But the coyote Mister Black talked to-"

"Is not going to stand up as reliable evidence when taken into consideration by the judge. If we want him to sign a warrant card, our evidence cannot rely on what ole Shaggy told us."

"That puts us back to square one?"

"Essentially, yes. But at least we know where to look."

"Okay," she said, resolutely standing, "you look at there import/export, and I'll root around and see if I can find some kind of employees list."

"Yay," Nick said, dryly, as he stood, "... _paperwork_."

...

More than half an hour passed without event and the two officers started feeling as though they were spending as much time looking for paperwork in this large, jumbled mess of files then they were actually reading them. The two officers sat facing away from one another on separate desks... which, by the end of the half an hour, were both packed to overflowing with files and folders.

Judy slapped down yet another file on the desk with a heavy grunt. "I don't understand this stuff. I mean, why do they have to write it like this? Why do that have to make it so damn complicated?"

"What does it say," Nick said from a desk behind her.

Judy lifted the file. "Not withstanding the provisions of sub-section three, section A, clause two-one-four of the Administrative Procedures Cortland Act nineteen seventy-eight, it is proposed that, in so far as the implementation of statutory provisions is concerned, the resolution of anomalies and uncertainties, as perceived by the responsible department, shall fall within the purview of the Ministry of Administrative affairs. What does it mean?"

"It means what it says."

"That's not helpful, Nick."

"What it basically means is 'we're a big company who knows lots of long words'. It's just like that to confuse the average publican, Hopps. It doesn't really mean anything if taken at face value."

"But it's _all_ like this!"

"Carrots, as an ex-conmammal, I know that most of what politicians and big companies such as this rely on is obfuscation - the art of confusing and fatiguing a listener. It's meant to bore and baffle us to the point we stop reading - or at least stop taking it in - so that when we reach the part we're looking for we either can't be bothered to read it properly and miss it, or never reach it at all on account of having given up and gone home for a lie down."

"But how do we beat it?"

"We can't 'beat' it, per se, everything government-related relies on it. We just have to keep looking until we find the bit they don't want us to see. How'd you get on with your list of employees?"

"It came back with some pretty interesting results," she said, lifting documents out of the way as she sought for it. "I don't know quite what to make of it, but it's definitely worth looking into. Ahh." She found the file and lifted it out, standing, and crossing to Nick's desk before handing it over and pointing to a particular part.

"Well, this is interesting."

"Yeah, the whole original staff was made redundant three weeks ago and replaced by new guys."

"Huh... I wounder what caused that."

"Well," Judy said, "the only reason I could think was if a new guy was in charge and he wanted a clean slate to work from. But I had a look at this Previous Owners thing, and it didn't say anything about a recent change in management."

"You didn't. You're quite sure?"

"Yeah, I'm absolutely sure!"

"So... it was undeclared." The fox's head turned, gazing into the middle-distance as he thought.

"What is it?"

"I saw something about that," he said softly. His ear twitched, his gaze lowered to the paperwork, and suddenly his paws were a frenzied rush as he routed through the many pages of paperwork. "Here!"

Lifting out a file marked 'Management', Nick set down the single sheet of paperwork on the desk. Judy stepped close to the desk, beside the fox, and gazed down at the sheet, the fox resting his paw on Judy's back affectionately as she looked. The rabbit lent forward a little to get a better look the page... and so the fox let his paw slip down to rest quite comfortably on the smooth slope of her rump instead.

"It's the name of the fella who apparently runs it," he said. "You see how it's the same piece of paperwork from four years ago, but the name's been crossed out and re-written?"

"The management's different now but they haven't filled in a new sheet. Is that it?"

"Precisely. I just assumed it was accidental to begin with, but with what you've found about the recent redundancies, I'd say it was done intentionally. And if that's the case, then this file relates to the old owner but has no information about the new one apart from a name."

"So what are you saying," Judy said, "the company was bought up but the new owners wanted to keep it quiet?"

"Yep. And there's only ever one reason why a company might want to keep something quiet: there up to something."

"You sure this is the most up-to-date copy? You sure they didn't realize they'd made a mistake and wrote out a new one?"

"This must be the most recent one. Paperwork like this, which includes phone numbers and addresses for an individual, are always rearguard as sensitive information and are kept for 'need-to-know' only. That means it's only kept so long as the information is required, and once it's no longer required, it gets shredded to protect that individuals information."

"I get it," the rabbit said, "after all, if you've handed over your business to someone else, you don't want people phoning you up with complaints years later, do you?" The rabbit smiled for a moment in satisfaction... but then her smile fell. "Nick, is this actually getting us anywhere? I mean, it's interesting in a way, I guess, but it's hardly incriminating."

"Well that depends, Hopps. Look, in the past month, Erkin Electrics has changed hands. It used to belong to some guy called," he glanced down at the page, "Joshua Jerome, but now appears to be owned by some larger company called, erh... dataDyne."

"dateDyne? Never heard of them."

"No. But you understand it's no longer owned by the same people, yes?"

"Yeah."

"It's being passed off as just a change of management. That means whatever or whoever now runs that joint is no longer Erkin; it's just a company of the same name. That means, unless they sell exactly the same stock and provide exactly the same service as Erkin originally did... we have them proved guilty."

"Guilty? Guilty of what?"

The fox smiled. "False advertising."

...

Moving efficiently, Appleby pulled back the corner of the thick bedsheets, standing patently beside the bed while his master slipped from his gown and stepped into the expensive, soft bed.

"Your conversation with the receptionist was informative, I trust?"

" _Most_ informative indeed."

The badger pulled the bed sheets over his master, speaking softly as he reached for the chord that would turn out the light. "Do you wish me to take steps to prevent Mister Nyilas' arrest?"

"No, let events take there due cause. Nyilas was loosing his edge, after all, and a blunted tool is of no use to my cause. He is merely a ball-ball now, a pawn, to distract the ZPD." He chuckled, settling back into the sheets. "Tomorrow, and for weeks to come, Bogo and his little insects of police officers will be busy patting one another on the back, telling each-other what a very good job they did. The'll be so caught up in there own pathetic, little celebrations... the'll fail to see what's _really_ going on until it's too late."

The badger pulled the chord and the lights flicked off, leaving only the light shining in from the corridor outside to hold back the growing darkness. "They will take Nyilas thinking him the king, when really, he is but a pawn. It is a plan of the highest excellence, sir."

"The idea was yours, was it not?"

"Oh, I make no clams to fame of my own, sir. I may have suggested an appropriate course of action to you, but it was not I who processed and developed the idea into the faultless, diversionary device it has hence become. My part in this is but that of servitude, my Lord. As it should be."

"As it should be, Appleby. Yes, everything is proceeding as I have foreseen it."

"Glad to hear it," the badger said, "I can't tell you how..." he sought for the right word... " _happy_ that makes me feel. Good-night, sir."

"Be seeing you."

Appelby swung the thick door shut, extinguishing all light from the cold, black room.


	40. Picking Up Speed

Just to let everyone know, I have now started a new series of short stories with Nick and Judy. This series is based on the British TV series, The Avengers, a spy-thriller which has been said to be "Sexier than Doctor Who, wittier than The Prisoner. Classier than The Saint." – Empire. This first episode of the (nonlinear) series is called "Zootopia, SIS: Castle De'ath," and currently stands at three chapters long. I hope you will give it a read, and trust you will enjoy it if you do.

* * *

Sitting forwards on the desk, the rabbit leaned in towards the fox sat opposite her. "False advertising," Judy said, "how?"

"Look at it this way, Carrots. Say some billionaire bought out the Hopps Family Farm and turned it into, say, like, a bakers or something, right?"

"Yeah. That's one hell of a big bakers, but go on."

"I know, it was the best I could think up at short notice. Anyway, if they did that, but didn't alert the proper authorities that the company had chanced hands, then all the paperwork would still say that the Hopps Farm was still a farm."

"So, if they then started selling bread instead of farm produce-"

"They'd be guilty of false advertising, yes."

"And if there only using Erkin as a legitimate front to cover up a drug-shipping enterprise," Judy continued, "it's not likely they offer an all-that-professional service for fixing light bulbs."

"My point exactly. The problem we have is finding a way of seeing what service they do provide without letting on about the raid tonight."

"How long do we have?"

"About twenty minutes. Why, you got an idea?"

"Yeah," the rabbit said, "we just phone them and ask for some repairs. Create a semi-difficult job, and if they turn up and can't do it, we'll ask why. If they turn up and can, you distract them and I'll snoop around in their van. If they refuse and don't turn up at all, that gives us the ammo to make some further inquiries."

"But, Bogo said we weren't to let them know we were raiding them later. Wouldn't making inquiries raise there suspicions?"

"That's the beauty of it. You see, if they decline service, we can make a 'citizens inquiry'. They won't even know we're cops."

"Hopps," the fox said, leaning back on the desk behind him, "how do you even remember all this stuff? I took the police exam too, you know, but even I don't know half of all the sub-clauses and provisional exclusions you do."

"Nicky," she said, sweetly, "when you were taking your police training exams, did you learn the information because you had to, or because you wanted to?"

"Because I had to... like any sane person _has_ to."

"Not me. I read up on it because it interested me."

"You are so weird sometimes."

"Like you're any better."

"Me," he chuckled, "what's wrong with me? I'm not the one who _enjoys_ revising and having exams."

"True though that is... you're still the weirdest predator I've ever met, for one, simple, reason."

"And what might that be, prey?" he said, crossing his arms with a playful smirk.

The rabbit stepped closer, reaching up and taking the fox by his tie, pulling his head down level with hers and whispering into his ear. "You've got a _thing_ for rabbits."

The fox grinned, revealing his teeth, sending a shiver down the rabbit's body. "Oh contraire, my carrot-eating friend. I have a thing for but one rabbit."

"Oh... if that's the case," she said slyly, worrying the fox who knew that tone of voice... "how do you explain the box of rabbit-porn under your bed?"

The fox's expression went slack. He knew she had seen those mags, but _damn_ he wasn't expecting her to outright say it. He opened his mouth as he struggled with an answer, Judy's smirk growing by degrees with every moment.

"Erm... F - Finnick asked me to look after... no... I found them in a... they... I never saw them before."

"You never saw them before...?"

"No," he said, drawing an 'x' over his heart with his claw, "God as my witness."

"Is that your final answer?"

"Erm-"

"After all, you still have fifty-fifty and phone a friend open to you. You can't use ask the audience again, though."

"Carrots, stop mucking me about and-"

"I'm sorry, that's not the answer we were looking for. Perhaps the next contestant will have better luck."

"Judy!-"

The fox was cut off by the crackle of Hopps' police radio. "Hey, guys! Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, Clawhauser," Nick called, hurriedly grabbing at the radio, "you're not interrupting anything. It's good to hear from you. How've you been? Anything interesting been going on? Tell me everything! We've got plenty of time."

The rabbit crossed her arms as her weary expression rose to look at the fox and his pathetic attempt at getting away from _that_ subject. But she couldn't be mad at him, even if she wanted to.

"Well, erm," the cheetah stuttered, "that's - that's a lot of questions. I'm not sure I've got the puff to answered all of them without a donut or two in between."

"Well, don't worry about it, Claw," Nick said, casting a cautions eye towards the rabbit, "you just take all the time you need."

"Clawhauser," the rabbit said, pulling out her own radio, "we're a little short on time here. What is it you need?"

"Oh, right, right, right! Sorry, yeah. I managed to find the paperwork for the Erkin van you requested. Some idiot had filed Erkin under R instead of E."

"I through that was part of your job?" Hopps said.

The line was silent for a few long seconds. "My... my recycling bin tends to get quite full."

Both mammals sheared a baffled glance. "I might have misheard that, Ben," Judy said, "it sounded almost like you said your recycling bin gets quite full."

"It... it does. And it gets kinda distracting when it's full of cardboard donuts boxes. I can't think straight, and cleaners only empty it once a day, and it gets quite full, and-"

"Alright, Claw, we get it," Nick said. "You can blame the cleaners for doing the paperwork wrong. We'll believe you."

"Just, please," Judy said, "we're pressed for time enough as it is. Just tell is what you found."

"Right, yes, sorry, yes. You guys pulled them over for a faulty rear number plate about three months ago. You filed an official warning and sent them on their way. You left a report of the stock they were carrying. Looked like boxes of electrical components, soldering equipment, circuit boards, wires, computer monitors and other miscellaneous, electrical equipment."

"So nothing out of the ordinary?" Hopps asked.

"I don't know," the cheetah chuckled, "what do they do?"

"They provide and repair electrical components to other businesses," Nick said, "office blocks, apartments, all that. They do bulk order stuff, you know? I think they even provided the ZPD with a few printers a while back."

"Well," Clawhauser's voice crackled in reply, "in that case, I can't see anything in the report here that looks out of place."

"And when did you say this was?" Judy said."

"Seventy-eight days ago."

"Just over two and a half months," Nick said to Judy, flicking the radio off, "so Erkin wasn't owned by dataDyne at that point."

"So we can assume they were a legitimate business back then." The rabbit flicked the radio back on. "Okay, Claw, anything else we should know?"

"Erm, I don't think - yes! Yes, Bogo asked me to pass on a message. Well, I say asked, he kinda just shouted, but anyway." The duo heard the cheetah fussing with sheets of paper, mumbling to himself under his breath. "I mean I put it here so I could find it, so why isn't it here now? Is it under the box of chocolate coated - ah, here it is! A-hem. 'Please ask Hopps and Wilde to go to the University if they wouldn't mind please'."

Judy glanced to Nick, sceptically. "Bogo said... 'please'?"

"Not exactly, no. That was just my interpretation. Actually, his exact words were, 'tell that rabbit and her shifty fox to get their tails down to the University pronto before I dump there arses in three weeks parking duty'."

"Okay," the rabbit said, standing, "we'll be leaving in just a moment. That should give us plenty of time to~ " The rabbit drifted off as she looked about at herself... at the two, _very_ high stacks of paperwork which littered the tops of two large desks.

"Hopps?" the radio crackled, "Are you still-"

The rabbit flicked it off. "Sweet cheese and crackers, Nick, what do we do? It's gonna take us an hour just to put this stuff back!"

The fox gazed about at his surroundings. "Leave it to me, Carrots."

"Leave it to you," she said, almost shouting with worry, "what do you mean, leave it to you?"

With nothing more than a wink, the fox stood, turned and paced from the room, the rabbit shouting at him furiously as he paced out of the door into the corridor. "Nicholas Wilde, you get back in here and _help_ me with this!"

"Take a breath, Hopps," the fox called form the doorway, "count to ten, relax a little. You won't do yourself any favors getting stressed out like this. Just wait here, and I'll be back in just a sec'."

The rabbit plonked herself down on a chair, crossing her arms furiously across her chest.

...

Some moments later, the rabbit's ears pricked up at the sound of voices approaching from down the corridor. Nick's voice.

"So, Marvin, how's it hanging?"

"You probably ought to know, I'm feeling very depressed."

"Well, I've got something that'll take your mind off it."

"I doubt it. I have an exceptionally large mind."

"Come on, mate. You'll enjoy it!"

"No I won't."

"You will. You'll find yourself with a whole new life stretching out ahead of you!"

"Oh, no. Not another one."

The door swung open, and a wherry-looking porcupine with the word 'security' attached to his shirt wondered into the room... followed by an even more wherry-looking fox who was forcing his voice to remain cheerful as he spoke.

"It's full of excitement and adventure and other Wlde things."

"Is that a pun?"

"Yeah."

"How horrid." Marvin took one, sweeping gaze of the mess. "Yourself and the rabbit have to go and you don't have the time to clean up the paperwork yourself so you want me to do it... is that it?"

"Yeah," Nick said glumly, "got it in one."

"Well I wish you'd just tell me rather than try to engage my enthusiasm because I haven't got any."

"Okay..." Folding his arms, the fox let out a long, sorrowful sigh as his head lowered wearily down to his chest.

"I'm not getting you down at all, am I?"

"No, Marvin, you're fine."

"I wouldn't like to think I was getting you down."

"No," Nick repeated, "trust me, it's-"

"I wouldn't like to think I was getting anybody down."

"You're not," the fox said, coming close to whimpering, "but please, could you just make a start on the paperwork?"

The porcupine took one small step into the room before turning back to the fox. "You sure you don't mind?"

"No," he said again, "it's just... that's life."

"Hello again, Marvin," Judy said, brightly, as he came in, "thank you for-"

"Life? Don't talk to me about life."

The rabbit's cheerful expression wilted a little. "Oh~ "

"You don't have to pretend you're interested in me, you know. I know perfectly well I'm only a menial public servant." Stepping towards the first tall pile, he began to tediously sort through the masses of disorganized mess. "I only have to talk to somebody and they begin to hate me, but if you just ignore me I expect I shall probably cease to exist altogether."

The rabbit blinked.

"All my life I've been doing this job," he continued. "The first ten years were the worst. And the second ten years, they were the worst too. The third ten years I didn't enjoy at all. And the forth was just _awful_. After that, I think I went into a bit of a decline."

"But, Marvin," the rabbit asked, "why don't you just quit and get a new-"

"But the real problem is that I'm just so vastly intelligent nothing can hope to occupy even the smallest degree of my intellect. I am at a rough estimate thirty billion times more intelligent than you. Let me give you an example. Think of a number, any number."

"Erm... five?"

"Wrong. You see? It gives me a headache just trying to think down to your level."

"Oh~kay... but why-"

"It's the people you meet in this job that really get you down. The best conversation I had was over thirty-four years ago. And that was with a Coffey machine."

"A... a Coffey machine?"

"It hated me."

"What?"

"It hated me because I talked to it."

"You talked to it? What do you mean you talked to it?

"Simple. I got very bored and depressed, so I walked over to the Coffey machine and talked to it at great length and explained my views of life the universe to it."

"And what happened?"

"It committed suicide."

"Well, okay," the rabbit tried again, "but why don't you resign and become a-"

"Do you know what they say to me? 'Don't let drunk people in, Marvin.' When is a drunk ever going to want to come in here? 'Make sure all the doors are locked by nightfall, Marvin.' 'Marvin, tidy up this paperwork, can you?' I'm a security guard, I tell them, not a cleaner. But no-one ever listens to me."

Silently, the rabbit started to back from the room, the door shunting softly behind her.

...

Jogging, the rabbit caught up with the smirking fox.

"Wilde, you cruel, wicked fox. Dumping all that filing on that poor-"

"He loves it," he said smoothly, putting his arm loosely around the rabbit's shoulders, "you should've seen the way his little eyes lit up when I told him."

"I somehow doubt that."

"What? It'll be a little excitement for him..." taking back his arms and unbuttoning the lower few of his shirt buttons, the fox reached into the space and withdrew his paw, holding a large, black file... "especially when he finds out some of the paperwork's missing."

The rabbit fell out of step, gawping at him. "N - Nick, did you just _steal_ that? How did you get it in your shirt, I was watching you the whole time? Do you have any idea of the-"

"First off," Nick interrupted, holding out a raised index finger to silence her, "Yes, I did unlawfully borrow this file without permission, but I do intend to give it back. Second, I'm an expert pickpocket, of course you didn't see me take it. And third, yes, I do know the penitently for theft from a government building, but it's never going to come to a court of law, since I just 'accidentally' put it in my briefcase and 'accidentally' took it with me. The briefcase was actually my shirt, I grant you, but still, the most that'll happen is I'll get a slap on the wrists from Bogo."

"But, you can't just take stuff like this, Nick. You need to fill out all the paperwork and-"

"I think poor Marvin has enough paperwork as it is. Besides," he added, slipping the book back into his shirt, "we don't have time for that."

"That's no excuse!" the justice-obsessed rabbit said, stepping towards him and shoving her paw into the space between Nick's shirt and his bare chest, "Now you and I are going back to that porcupine, and you are going to apologize for taking this book."

"What..." the fox breathed, softly... "what are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" she said, her paw rooting here and there across the fur of Nick's chest, "I'm looking for that file!"

The fox's eyes drifted shut. _Ohh, does she have any idea how_ _ **good**_ _this feels?_ "And for... for that you're willing to do... this?"

"Yes!"

"...and if I told you it's slipped into my boxers?"

Acting before she had processed the implications, the ticked off rabbit made as though to shove her paw into his joy department; for half a second, the fox actually believed she was about to reach for it. Then, the rabbit froze, a bright-red blush quickly growing as her bulging eyes rose to meet the fox's coolly calm expression, his lightly smirking face mere inches from hers.

She withdrew her hand quickly, turned and marched away, trying to get out of earshot before the fox said something along the lines of-

" _Aw_ , was it something I said?"

 _-ohh, too late._ She glanced over her shoulder as she walked, seeing the fox stood in the same position, now quite a distance away, with a pouting, disappointed expression on his face.

"Are you coming, or what?"

"Erm, not at the moment," he said, hopefully, "but put me in a dark bedroom, alone, with you... and I could be."

"What? _Nick!"_

The fox grinned. "Don't tell me you haven't thought about it too, Hopps. I _know_ you have."

The rabbit stopped dead, half turning to the fox. A small smile just starting to grow. "Okay, foxy, I admit it. I have thought about it. I'm even willing to admit that I've thought about it a lot."

The fox's grin started to falter; the rabbit turned to face him fully and started walking slowly towards him.

"If it wasn't for my parents sex after marriage teachings, I would have _had_ you the moment I knew you felt about me the same way I feel about you. I have desired your body, lusted for you, for almost a year now and, guess what?"

The rabbit waited for an answer, giving the fox the chance to quip some humorous little joke which she already knew would never come. The fox opened his mouth and found his throat suddenly very dry. He licked his lips, and forced his mouth to make sound. "W-what?"

"This urge, this _desire_ I feel deep down inside me whenever I lay eyes on you, this aching, yearning drive to _take_ you inside me and to _feel_ your love within me... it's insatiable, uncontrollable, enthralling. I don't know how much longer I can fight it - how long I can resist something I want so bad it hurts - when all I would have to do is reach out... and take it."

The fox stood, speechless, as the rabbit continued.

"Tonight, I am going to share my body with you, doing everything I can short of breaking my parents wishes. I know that probably stops short of doing anything other than just looking and touching one another, but if I had my way, Nick, I would take you home this _very_ second, lock the door, be damned with the world and throw away the key. I would take your body, and I would make love to you again, and again, and again. I wold hold you against me with love, with passion and with care..." now stood directly before the fox, the rabbit reached out and held the fox's paws "...and I would never, ever, let you go."

The fox felt a throbbing sensation in his heart, and in another part of his body, as the rabbit's words fell softly into his ears.

"...but anyway," she said abruptly, taking her paws back, turning sharply and marching away, calling to the fox over her shoulder, "the alternative of course is that you propose to me this afternoon, marry me this evening and we can spend the weekend doing something far more interesting than just touching one another!"

"H-hey," Nick called after her, "what?!"

"Come on Nick," replied the distant figure, "we've got work to do."

"B-but Judy," he shouted, jogging to try to catch up, "what was that you said? Just before? About... proposing?"

Nick's jog became a run as the rabbit picked up speed and she started to sprint - sprinting, so Nick couldn't see the bright red blush which had grew all across her face at sharing with him the oh-so-wonderful 'secret fantasy' Judy had for so long wished might come true. Marriage.

...

Outside the building, concealed from the scorching heat of day in the shadows of a blind ally, a pare of slitted eyes watched the back door to Registry House as it swing open and the figure of a rabbit sprinted out, followed, a second later, by the figure of a fox.

The duo ran, the sounds of their laughter and their giggling carrying across to the white figure's erect ears. The rabbit reached the car and started frantically trying to pull open the locked door. The fox caught up and tackled her to the floor before pressing his lips against the rabbits deeply. Something the rabbit didn't appear to mind.

This went on for but a moment before both mammals leaped up from the still scorching road and rushed to get into the ZPD cruiser. The rabbit leaping into the drivers seat, the fox joining her, the engine turned on swiftly and the car drove off down the road.

The white figure turned, his pale eyes watching as the car was driven around a corner and out of sight. He pulled his phone from his pocket and pressed the sequence of buttons he had been trained to press, and His face appeared on the screen.

"Wulf," He greeted, "is everything running according to schedule?"

The albino wolf grunted.

"Glad to hear it. Your target is now en route to the University, North of your position. But do not attempt to intervene there. Just keep an eye on them; wait until this evening. Our Master wants the fox left alive, so you'll have to wait until their separated. Given their record, that could take some time."

The wolf grunted again, leaving the shade and starting to walk in a generally Northern direction, failing to notice or care about the thickness of the air around him, or the burning temperature of the floor beneath as he walked.

"And Wulf," He continued, "use caution, but do not take too long. As I have explained before, further action cannot be taken against the fox if the rabbit is still alive. Good luck, and good hunting." The phone went dead.

...

"But I'm quite used to being humiliated," Marvin continued, "I could even stick my head in the public toilet and flush it if you like. I mean if that's what you really want." The porcupine half-turned and addressed the empty space behind him, earnestly. "Would you like me to stick my head in the public toilet and flush it? You're not answering?" He turned fully. "Ohh, you've gone. Well pardon me for breathing, though I can't say I blame you. I suppose I'll just be getting on with sorting this paperwork seeing as you can't even bare to- God I'm so depressed." Putting the files back down on the table, Marvin addressed the universe in general.

"Life... loathe it or ignore it. You can't like it."


	41. Driving Emotions

**Attention: This chapter contains one small but intense piece of Mature Content. For the benefit of people who do not wish to view such content, I have placed three asterisks (stars: *) at the start of this content. I advice you refrain from reading below this point if you do not wish to view such material.**

 **This has replaced chapter 10, Ashes and Trust, as my favorite chapter.**

* * *

Nick had once told Judy that he thought best while in the car. Being driven, that is, not driving. It wasn't that he couldn't think at all while not driving, it's just his head always seemed somehow clearer with the background noise and slight jostling driving entailed.

For this reason, it was mostly the rabbit's job to drive. She liked driving, and understood that with the right setting Nick could think more deeply and more single-mindedly about a subject then she ever could. And right now, by the look on the fox's face... Nick was thinking, hard.

Judy returned her eyes to the road as the silence between them continued. The pare had soon settled down into driving quietly after their first few moments of giddy silliness, but since then, a kind of heaviness had descended upon them.

Judy turned the wheel as she drove the car down yet another road towards the outskirts of Precinct One - electing to drive through the more widening but uncontested roads rather than the more direct, yet packed and slow-moving traffic, in the center of the city.

The rabbit bit her lip a little as she drove. She knew what the fox was thinking about: the same thing currently occupying her mind: a certain desire she had let slip in the heat of the previous conversation, in the corridor at Registry House.

 _That_ desire.

Once again, she felt a wave of sudden warmth roll through her which left her lungs short of air and her head giddy. She sucked in a long breath and wound down the window a little as she tried to keep a grip. It wasn't that she regretted what she had said to her partner - it was the truth after all. It was just, maybe, she could have put it a little more... delicately?

The fox cleared his throat and started to draw breath beside her as though about to speak, and the rabbit's heart started thumping just a little louder in her chest as his mouth opened.

The fox turned his head to her, the rabbit watching out of the corner of her eye without the fox's knowing. She watched as he gazed at her, his mouth still open as though to talk, apparently taking in all the features of her expression before slowly closing his mouth and drawing his attention back to the road in front.

Judy knew what he was doing; he was planning his next move, and planning it carefully, given that both had been silent for the past five minutes. The rabbit parted her dry lips to speak. "Nick-"

An ear raised and his head turned towards her slightly, but then the rabbit run out of words and closed her mouth.

Silence descended upon the car once again as the rabbit continued down the road.  
At length, Nick sighed, crossing his arms and leaning back in his chair with a heavy grunt, his eyes falling closed despondently. He spoke, dryly.

"You always have to be so difficult," he stated.

"Nick?"

"I've known you more than a year now," he explained, turning to her, "and I still can't figure you out."

"What do you mean?"

" _That_ , is what I mean."

"What?"

"How can you not know what I mean? What do you _think_ I mean? How is it you can be so open about something so incredibly life-changing and important... like _marriage_... as though it was nothing?"

The rabbit glanced to the fox, wondering if she'd given him the wrong impression. "I... I don't think of marriage as _nothing_ , Nick. I was just-"

"What, teasing me? Is that what that was?"

Judy glanced to Nick again. "What is with you?" she asked, squinting. She wasn't sure, but that sounded an awful like the tone of voice he had taken after her speech about the Nighthowlers case.

"Teasing, it's always teasing: I tease you, you tease me; it's how our relationship's always worked. Well, if it's teasing than it's not serious," he added through gritted teeth, "and if the idea of marriage is just a joke to you, how do I know our entire relationship isn't just some kind of prank?"

"What? You - you're blowing things out of all proportion."

"I'm not," he shot, "or do you mean I'm blowing the importance of this relationship out of proportion?"

"Nick, you know what I'm trying to say. Don't be such a dumb fox."

"Well I'm **sorry!** " he shouted, "but this is a **hell** of a big deal to me, Judy!"

The car fell deathly silent, Judy's eyes wide as they gazed at the road in front of her, her ears slowly drooping behind her head. Nick groaned dejectedly, leaning forwards, his hands clasped in front of him as he turned to her and held her gaze, even while she carried staring at the road.

"I'm sorry," he said again, his voice far quieter. "And I'm sorry I shouted at you just then. I'm just... trying to figure out what you want." He paused for a long moment, then continued. "I mean, how the hell do I know?" he added, softly. "I've been going out with you, what, a day? A day and a half? I know we shouldn't even be _thinking_ about marriage this early on, and yet, one way or another, the subject just seems to keep coming up. But how can you be sure it's what you want? How can either of us be sure so soon? You'll tire of me some day," he added gloomily, his head slowly dropping into his paws, "I know you will. The day my teasing ceases to amuse you, and just pisses you off instead. And when that happens, I'm screwed. You realize that, right? That's all I got going for me. That's the only way I know how to talk; to joke and to tease and to dodge the question and avoid the answer, because it's always been easier to do that then to square up to how I really feel."

The fox wiped his eyes with the palm of his paw, so enwrapped with his thoughts he didn't even notice as Judy pulled the car to a stop.

"I've been living on my nerves for the past twenty years now. It gives you energy, sure, but it's paper thin; there's nothing beneath it. If I try to change my ways now... it'll ruin me. I don't have the strength to be open about who I love and the things I want so bad it keeps me up at night. It's just not something I am able to do, Judy. I've been wearing a mask for too long, been playing the part of the untouchable fox so much, I can't remember how to stop acting anymore. It's _become_ me."

"Nick, I _know_ who you are. I've seen into the darkest, most wretched parts of your life. I've seen you at your very best, the day you graduated from the academy, the first day at work together, last night at your apartment... and I've seen you at your very worst. I've seen you stand up to me, completely fearless, in the face of Chief Bogo. I've seen you throw yourself in front of me because you thought I was in peril. I know you've gone without so I could have what you felt I deserved, and without ever seeking _any_ consideration or thanks in reward. I _**have**_ seen the Nick behind the mask. I _know_ who you are on the inside. I _know_ that, while the fox on the outside is a great guy and a real charmer... the fox on the _inside_ has a heart of pure _gold_. And the moments I've spent with _that_ Nick... have been some of the happiest moments of my life."

The fox grabbed the rabbit's paw and held it, forlornly. "And what about the day you want to have kids, Judy? Kids of your own flesh and blood? I certainly can't give them to you!"

"Well get to that when it comes, Nick. But for now, all I want is to be _with_ you. That's the only thing that really matters to me."

"But, Ju-"

"And I'm sorry to cut this short, but this really isn't the time or place to be talking about this."

His ears lowered at her words glumly, but he nodded after a moment and released her paw. "Why can't this just be easy?" he muttered to himself.

Judy smiled at him, softly. "And since when has _either_ of our lives been easy?"

The fox chuckled as he gazed out of the window, his head resting on his paw as Judy reignited the car and started back down the road. Nick turned to her, honestly. "I do want to talk to you about it all though."

"Me too, Nick. There's a lot I want to get figured out tonight."

"After the raid?"

"I'm seeing Jack at the café, remember?"

"Oh... yeah."

"Sorry."

"Doesn't matter. I can do that overtime I still owe Bogo for taking Monday off."

Judy nodded, a little disappointed she had to push _that_ conversation aside, but realizing that if they talked about it now, it would either be rushed or result in the two of them being unable to locate Nylis in time to prepare for the raid. "So, what's Jack like?" she asked.

"Huh, what's the politically correct term?"

"A bastard?"

The fox chuckled. "Well, that's a start, Hopps. He's a womanizer for sure, and corrupt to the soul - at least he was at one point - even if he has always denied it."

"What do you mean he denied it? To his seniors?"

"Well yeah, he denied it to his seniors, obviously. But what I meant was that he denied it to himself. All the while, when he was working as a bent agent for me, he believed what he was doing was in the law's best interest, always prattling on about how this was just some 'supreme sacrifice' he was making. I always found it hilarious - listening to his little speeches about how he was gonna fix the city and save the world - just after he'd sold vital government secrets to the largest criminal gang in Tundratown for the sake of his own advancement."

"He never caught onto what you were doing?"

"Oh no, it was worse than that. He knew what I was doing. He knew exactly why it was in my interests to push him as high up the ranks as possible, and he still believed he was doing the right thing."

"But, if that's what he believed, and that was the reason he did the things he did, doesn't that make his intentions... honorable?"

"Not exactly. What you believe in is one thing, but... look, as Froyd once said, every desire has its cause, but the cause my be obscured from plain sight, altered, rationalized by the subconscious part of the brain to justify it. Some are more simple, some are more complex, and some we don't even consider. For instance," he asked, matter-of-factly, "why is it you always want to be so physically close to me?"

"Because... well, because I love you, Nick."

"Wrong." The rabbit blinked. "At its core - and I'm talking its very core, all other emotions and desires completely stripped away - it's your sexual drive trying to get you to mate with me, so we can have kids, and carry on the species."

A heavy blush grew on the rabbit's face, a wave of heat flushing through her. _Does he know?_ _Does he know that I'm-_

"And while Jack always made a big song and dance about how important the safety of Zootopia was to him - a statement he believed, I'll give him that - what it all boils down to is wanting to be the guy everyone looks up to and says... 'You saved us. You saved all of us. We are indebted to you, and we will be grateful and love you forever'."

"So what are you saying, he has an inferiority complex?"

"Essentially, yes. He feels the constant need to prove his worth - to himself more than everyone else - and seeks praise from wherever he can get it."

"So what caused it?"

"I'd hate to think. I never knew him socially, but from what I gather, his early life wasn't the happiest of times. He seems totally committed to justice and doing the right thing... but he doesn't always seem to quire realize when he's crossed the line in the pursuit of justice and ends up doing more bad then good."

"So he's like a black knight?"

"Or a guardian demon."

"Oh. Any examples?"

The fox paused for a moment as he considered, then spoke. "Alright. Once, about half a year after I recruited him, the MI-Z assigned him with the task of capturing and interrogating an ex-policemammal who was reported to have joined a small criminal gang in Precinct One. The Ministry wanted him to find the defector, and get him to spill the names of the other members of the gang. Now, as the relationship always was between Jack and myself, it was a favor for a favor. He handed over plans for some kind of prisoner transfer we could intercept - I forget the details - and we, in return, found his defected copper. We took him to a place only Firm members could get to and tied him down to a chair and gave Jack half an hour to do whatever he felt necessary to do without being disturbed.

"Now, unofficially, the MI-Z know that interrogations sometimes get a little rough. You'll never hear them admit that, obviously, but what Jack did... _God_." The fox paused, taking a breath which shivered a little in the memory of what he had seen that night before he continued. "The interrogation had turned into torture Judy. And Jack had beat him to death with his bare hands." Taking a breath, the fox calmed himself.

"I was stood just outside the door when it happened. I heard shouting and screaming, which didn't surprise me, and then it just stopped, and everything went deathly silent. I opened the door and stepped in; there was Jack facing away from me, the corpse of the mammal lying in a heap on the floor. When he heard the door opening, Jack turned to me, and his face was just..." the fox cringed, visibly. "He turned around, walked up and just threw his arms around me. He hugged me tightly, so tightly, for over an hour while crying his eyes out into my chest, wailing like a child. I've never seen him so weak as in that moment. I don't think he meant to kill him. I don't think he knew what he was doing. I think he just went into a blind fury, forgot where he was, and let all his rage and his malice and his emotional insecurity loose on this poor mammal who turned out not to be a defector anyway.

"But it was all done with the best intentions! All done for a cause Jack knew was worth fighting for: the law. And he was prepared to do anything, break any rule, go as low as he needed to catch and deal with anyone who was a threat to the safety of Zootopia. Even willing to join a criminal super-power to do it." Nick paused for a long moment before he continued. "To me, this speaks of a lack of understanding between _right_ and _wrong_ \- something most of us learn from our parents. This gives me all kinds of ideas as to what his early life might have been like."

He sat back in his chair, gazing at the roof, as he continued. "The best I could come up with was that his parents were lawyers or cops or maybe secret agents themselves, even. Two good people with a _lot_ of respect for justice and doing the right thing. Then one day, on a mission or on patrol, something happens to them... and Jack never sees them again. The authorities take him into protective care, a foster home or orphanage, and the young Jack Savage - like millions of kids in that situation do - just snapped and went out of control. If that is the case like I suspect it is, he would have been moved from orphanage to orphanage: never happy, never able to settle, always picking fights and getting into trouble, and getting kicked out and moved to the next place. When he reached eighteen, the state would have dropped him like a hot potato and left him to fend for himself. Now I don't know if any of that's true, I had my best mammals spend weeks looking into his past, and they couldn't find a thing. Not once trace of who he might once have been. In fact, the only thing I know for sure, is that he sure as hell didn't used to be called Jack Savage." Judy glanced to the fox; he nodded towards her, meaningfully.

"But, the thing is," he continued, thoughtfully, "is that we... _you_ , only know him as him mammal he is today. The double-dealing, self-obsessed, traitorous womanizer. When really, Hopps, the truth is... he wasn't all that different from you at one time. All he wanted to do was make the world a better place. But in truth, it was the world that changed him..." Judy glanced to the fox and saw him gazing down at nothing, his eyes lost to a distant memory, his voice as cold and absent as his thoughts. "... _ **I**_ changed him." The fox's voice dropped low as he stared at his paws clasped in his lap. "It was late in the year in wintertime, about three, four years after I recruited him. He phoned me one day, asked if we could meet somewhere private. It was arranged, and we met up later that day." Nick's gaze rose to stare up at the sky; he crossed his arms over his chest. "He said things to me I never thought I'd hear, not from him. Not _Jack:_ the fantastic womanizer who shared a bed with a different girl each night, and who hated and loathed and despised me with all his soul."

Her voice was soft as she asked, "What did he say?"

"I remember every detail of what happened," he said, distantly, "the way he shifted from foot to foot, how he kept fidgeting with his paws, kept trailing off and stuttering, his expression, his tone, the way he kept looking off to the side before looking back~ "

"But what did he say?"

"And I laughed at him," he added, sickly. "I just stood there, and _laughed_ at him." His gaze falling, the fox's eyes closed remorsefully. "Out of everything else that was going on in his life at the time, everything that made him look in the mirror and wounder who the heck he was, made him question his values, his faiths, beliefs. After everything he had been through it was this... me... that finally _broke_ him."

"Nick, what did he say?"

"Sorry, Hopps. That's not my secret to tell."

"Oh." The car fell silent for a few seconds longer as Judy continued to drive, now heading back into the city as they neared the University. "You said before that my ego isn't so inflated and my morals too strong to allow myself to fall into the same trap Jack did. What trap was that? Nick?"

Judy turned to the fox. He is eyes were vacant and distance as he stared at the space before him, his face blank, his mind deep in thought.

"Nick," she said again, reaching out a paw and touching him on the shoulder, "it's okay."

He turned, smiled at her cheerfully, and spoke, his voice up-beat and jovial - Judy knew it was forced. "But enough about me," he said, "let's go back to that infinitely more entertaining conversation about our future together."

Judy breathed softly. The change in conversation was hardly a subtle, but then, that wasn't the point. Nick wanted her to know he couldn't talk further about his past dealings with Jack, _whatever they are... if only I knew what it was, maybe I could help him!_ But, if there was one thing she'd learned the heard way, it was that if there was no more give in Nick's leeway, it was time to stop pushing.

"Alright," she said, aware she had just discovered another pain from Nick's life she didn't even know was there, but also knowing there was nothing more could be done about it yet, "you win. Let's go back to the tedious topic of discussing all the people who are gonna hate us if we ever get married."

"Married?" he said, managing a chuckle which was now only half-forced, "who wants to talk about marriage when we can't even do that yet? No, Hopps, no. I'm thinking of something far more... current."

Although the rabbit didn't yet know what he meant, clearly a small part of her did because his words sent a light tingle down her spine. "Wh- what were you thinking?"

Nick leaned towards her, his grin now truthful. "What we're gonna do _tonight."_

"To... tonight?"

"As I think I heard a certain bunny say," he said, adopting a high-pitched, fluttery impression of Judy's voice, " 'I am going to share my body with you, you handsome devil, doing everything I can short of breaking my parents wishes'."

"I... didn't say that."

"Oh? Well as my mom always said, if it looks like a rabbit and sounds like a rabbit, it's probably Judy trying to wriggle out of something."

"I'm not wriggling out of anything," she said, quickly, "it's just, what I said to you, it wasn't all that well thought out and I lost something of what I meant to say in the way it was-

"No, my love," he said, slyly, "you're not getting out of it that easily. Whether you meant to say it or not, that is what you said. So I ask you, Judy, what exactly constitutes your parents wishes? At what point does sex become sex?"

The rabbit's heart started thumping louder, the blood rushing to her ears and her cheeks, making them tinge red with a blush.

"There you go again," the fox smirked, "venting your desires."

"I'm sorry, I..." The rabbit huffed, heat building around her collar. She tugged at it, then undid a button... "I haven't been feeling quite _myself_."

Nick raised a brow. "How do you mean? You ill?"

"Erm, sorta."

"You okay to work?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"Well, what are the symptoms?"

"Oh, this and that," she said, vaguely, "light-headedness, a little dizziness, upset stomach..." The rabbit cleared her throat, moving her head closer to the steering wheel as though hoping she could crawl in and disappear within it. "...mood swings, heat flushes, inability to concentrate."

"Hell, mood swings? What the heck causes mood swings?"

"I'm fine, Nick," Judy said, nervously, "just... fine."

"Like hell you are. Heat flushes, inability to concentrate? We need to get you to a vet, Hopps."

"I'll be _fine_ , Nick," she repeated, her volume increasing.

"You're not, _fine_ ," he said, tersely, "you're sick. Now if you're feeling light-headed, at least let me drive the car so we don't-"

" _Nick_ ," she shouted, "listen to my words! I am fine. Do you understand me?" The rabbit turned sharply to the fox's saddened expression, and she scolded herself for shouting, turning her eyes back to the road as she tried to calm herself.

"Judy, I'm... I'm only trying to help you."

Growling, Judy's grip grew excessively tight as she tried to control the shaking of her paws. "Nick, I... I'm~" The rabbit's body flushed with warmth and her head became faint. She drew in a long breath and let it out in a loud huff which shook with nerves as it was blown out of her... "I'm in _Heat_."

The fox's expression slackened.

"I-I-I mean soon," she stuttered, "well, now, I guess. I'm in Heat _as of now_ , thanks to you. Not that it was your fault," she added, starting to ramble through her anxiety, "I mean, it was due any day now, but you're the one whose kicked it into overdrive and it's just... it's-"

A small chuckle interrupted her.

"Damn it, Nick, how can you be laughing?"

"Sorry, Carrots, sorry. It's just... so, _that's_ what I've been smelling all day?"

"...what! Ha - have you always known the days I was in Heat?"

"No, Fluff, no. But then I've never been able to get quite so _close_ to you before now. And your Heats aren't normally this bad, I'd wager?"

The rabbit growled but nodded; the fox grinned.

"It was when we were rolling around on the floor this morning I first noticed something a little different about your scent; it's slowly been getting more, erm... potent, through the day. But I didn't know what it was because I've never smelt it on you before. Though, I admit," he said, mildly, "there were one or two occasions where I thought you smelt somewhat more delectable than usual. "And getting shut in a confined space sitting right next to you after that intimate little _chat_ we had sure hit the point home." The fox leaned towards the rabbit and drew a small, appreciate sniff. "You do realize the car's been full of it since you got in here, right?"

The fox sat back in his chair smugly as he waited for Judy's retort. None came. A brow picking up, he lent forwards and looked back towards the rabbit who had focused all her attention, very deliberately, on driving. Nick smirked. _Yeah, like I'm letting this go that easily._

"So, Carrots," Nick said in a patronizingly impartial voice, "a rabbit in Heat. What does that mean, exactly, huh?"

"You know what it means," Judy grunted.

"Actually, I don't know all that much about it. It's something to do with the maths season, isn't it?"

"No! Mating season, Nick. _Mating_ , not _maths_!"

"Same thing, surely."

"How are they the same thing?!"

"They both involve a certian amount of... multiplying."

The fox grinned wider as the rabbit groaned, her open paw meeting her face as she huffed loudly. ***

" _Ohh_ ," Nick groaned, mocking arousal, "why, Hopps, you sound tense. Need me to give you a _'release'_ for some of that _'pent up'_ stress?"

The rabbit put her finger in her mouth and bit it, hard. "Nick," she warned, "this seriously isn't the best time to be playing with sex jokes. Do you have any idea what it's doing to me right now?"

"Well," he said smoothly, "there's an easy way to find out." With that, the fox slid his paw across the distance between them. He placed it on Judy's knee, to a small gasp from the rabbit. and began, slowly, to stroke it up and down the rabbit's leg - taking it a little higher each time. "Just think what'd happen if I tried to take things further."

"Nick, you jerk, stop!"

He leaned in, his voice a hot breath in her ear. "Just think what would happen," he said again, his thumb tracing along her inner thigh. "You know... I'm horny too."

Judy tried to pretend it was all his paw's doing, but she knew it was the simple fact of Nick voicing his desire that sent yet another flush of heat through her, his paw creeping closer to the center of that heat.

"Yeah, that's right," the red fox breathed, "that's what you like."

"Nick... _please..."_

His paw halted. "Do you want me to stop?"

"Yes..." The rabbit took a slow breath, trying as best as she could to keep her focus on the road. "...and _no._ "

The fox leaned in close to the rabbit, his paw edging up just that inch closer to the source of all the rabbit's pent-up frustration and desire.

"Maybe," he whispered, "a little bight is what you'd like. A little nip from the hungry predator."

His eyes glazed, the fox leaned closer still and pinched his teeth lightly on the rabbit's shoulder, making her gasp and a shiver ran through her.

"Nick," she said, frantic but failing.

"Because I'm the predator here, Judy." he replied, tilting his head up a little more and pinching the exposed fur on her neck where she had undone her top buttons.

"Nerh... _Nick~_ "

"And you're my prey."

" _Ohhhh_ ," the rabbit groaned, pulling down another road, her eyes suddenly widening with realization as she noticed a large sign. "Oh look," Judy shouted, "we're here, Nick, we're here!" She shoved his head away with her paw, a forced grin on her face and her voice several octaves higher-pitch than normal. "We're here now, so, we have to go, a, and~ "

She trailed off, piratically ripping her seat belt off and diving for the door handle, her heart pounding at an uncontrollable rate in her chest, her whole body practically rippling with heat.

She made to reach for the door handle, when a paw stopped her. A very large paw, clamped tightly around Judy's wrist. The rabbit froze, a low and anamilistic sound rumbling out form right behind her, a sound which sent her mind right back through the generations of evolution, and right back to her primitive ways. Growling.

Her head turned slowly, gasping at seeing the fox's face, his mouth twisted in something between a grin and a snarl, every one of his gleaming teeth on display, his emerald eyes a beacon of untamed, unstoppable, unsatisfiable... lust.

In a snarl of sudden activity, the fox grabbed his pray by the waist and pulled her, effortlessly, across to him. He set her down on the dashboard in front of him, her hands either side of his head on the headrest, her feet either side of his knees.

"Nick?" Judy cried in surprise and worry, "Nick!" In an almost frenzied rush the fox's paws worked at the rabbit's belt, undid the button, slid down the zipper, parted the rabbit's legs with his large, red paws and pushed his muzzle deep between the rabbit's thighs. " _Nick!_ " she cried again.

The fox inhaled. He inhaled deep and he inhaled long. He inhaled until his lungs were full of the rabbit's intensely appealing musk, and then he held the breath within him. The fox breathed out through his mouth slowly, a long and deep groan of pleasure escaping his lips.

The fox's glazed eyes rose to look at the rabbit whose scent of arousal he could taste on his tongue, only half surprised when he saw her, her every muscle taught and her eyes tightly closed, her jaw set hard and her breaths still. She sighed, whimpered, just a little before she spoke in a weak and breathless voice. "How... how long do we have?"

"Not long enough for _that_ , if that's what you mean."

A soft, panting chuckle escaping her, the rabbit crossed her legs around the fox's neck. " _Nuh_ -not even a little?"

The fox lowered his snout, touching his nose gently down on the moist material of the rabbit's black panties, making her groan at the sensation as he again inhaled her scent.

"If I go any further than this," he said, his hot breath a warm purr against the bunny's folds, "there is no 'just a little'. There is no 'going back'. I don't know about you, but I certainly wouldn't have enough self-control to stop."

"I don't want you to stop."

"...we have to."

The rabbit opened her eyes for the first time since it happened, trying to focus on the fox as he sat back and gazed at her steadily. His voice was pained and sorrowful, wretched almost, but earnest and resolute. "I don't want our first time to be in a car, Judy." His head shook, slowly. "That's just not right."

The rabbit gazed into the fox face with a questioning expression for a few moments longer... then she collapsed with a heavy groan, her head falling with a thump onto the car dashboard, her legs spread either side of the fox's head. " _You... big... jerk._ "

Nick gazed at the sight between her legs. It would be so easy to just lean forward, twitch aside that thin layer of material, take his tongue, and... without a word, the fox raised his large paws. He touched them for a moment upon the rabbit's inner thigh, then tenderly, reverently, re-covered the rabbit's modesty - the rabbit huffing and panting, her eyes closed, just before him.


	42. Mincemeat

**I'm sorry this is such a short chapter and that there was no chapter last week, but I thought it better to at least post a small chapter than to go a fortnight without an update. The first week was because I was ill and couldn't sustain so much as a thought; the second week was spent catching up on all the school work I missed on the first week. I'm all caught up now though, and hope to have resumed normal publishing efficiency by next week. The next chapter also actually does include our Fox and Rabbit.**

* * *

As softly and as subtly as a shadow moves in the darkness, the door to the Lord's Royal Tower's bedchamber opened. There was no light from the corridor, nor was there any light from within but for the palest of illuminations from the cloud-shrouded moon outside, which shone in an almost ethereal light upon the black, polished stone of the tower.

From without, an otter slipped in. Dressed all in black, light material, crawling on all fours, he made towards the master bed, wherein he could see the form of Zistopia's Lord sleeping beneath the sheets.

A thin smile growing on his lips as climbed the foot of the bed, the otter pulled a small knife from beneath his dark outfit as he approached, a gleam in his eye as he crawled closer to the closed eyes of the silken-black panther. Leaning forwards, the tip of the otter's dagger touched upon the panther's neck. His eyes opened.

"Your reign of terror is over," the otter said mockingly, "oh mighty _lord_."

The panther moistened his lips. "Look behind you."

"Ha, you think I'm falling for that? I'm disappointed. I was expecting something far more elaborate. Say goodbye, my _lord_ ," the otter said, raising the knife.

Behind him, a shadow moved against darker shadows. The towering frame of a black and white mammal lurched forwards from nowhere and grabbed the otter harshly around the throat. Without a moment's delay, Appleby half turned and hurtled the small creature against the wall.

The otter hit the hard stone head first and his skull split open. His lifeless boy fell with a pathetic splat to the floor.

"...goodbye."

"Pardon the intrusion, sir," Appleby said, picking up the corps by a limp leg and pacing from the room, "I'll have a word with the Chief of the Nightwatch and see to it he doubles his patrols."

"They appear to be getting more frequent, these assassination attempts."

"This one was rather skilled sir, was he not?"

"What do we think: individuals working on their own, or another cult trying to end me?"

"I think the latter is more likely. It might be wise to purge the streets again, sir."

"Again?"

"If there is a group of mammals working to end your life, sir, do you not think it would be in your interest?"

The Lord paused and thought for a moment. "No, we'll shortly be needing all the mammal-power we can get when we initiate Stage Five. Speaking of which, operation Mincemeat, is it a go?"

"Not quite, sir. I was just going to make the phone call, when the silent alarm was set of by..." he held up the limp body of the otter... "this little fellow."

"Appleby," he said settling back beneath the sheets, "just see that it's done."

"Indeed, sir. I foresee Mincemeat will be an astounding success."

...

The University of History and Arts - like all good places of learning, like libraries and like churches - had an aura of dense and heavy learning. Walking through its high-ceiling corridors and gazing upon its stainglass windows, stepping into a the grand lecture halls and wandering through its on-campus garden, one could not help but feel as though they were walking through the masonry halls of a grand cathedral.

The dormitories at one end were a small complex of hexagonal rooms, each against another, wherein the students would study during term time if they had nowhere else to stay. Three floors above them, in a wide, octagonal tower, were the older, yet more stately living quarters of the university dons.

Each door bore a brass plaque with, engraved upon it in an official typeface, the name of the don who lived there. On one, 'Henry Croft (Dr.)', on a second, 'Terry Lateford (PhD)', and on a third... 'Victor Nyilas (BSC)'. Behind this wooden door, the room was dimly lit, the blinds pulled down, and furnished with quality oak furniture.

The figure of a goat sat back in his padded chair, his arms resting on the surface of the cluttered table. Rubbing his eyes with the back of his paw, he gazed bleakly at the framed photograph he had placed in the center of his desk.

Sighing, the aged creature lent forwards, his back stiff, and picked up the photograph, running a single finger across the faces. His wife, his two sons, his daughter. A thin smile grew, but it was tainted by pain.

The phone rung; the professor started back, grabbing the receiver and holding it to his ear, not daring to say a word. The line was silent for a few moments, and then,

"Secretary Appleby here. Nyilas, is that you?"

"Appleby," Nyilas greeted, nervously, "is nice to hear from-"

"I have your masters commands. After your lecture, you're to go down to the city docks and oversee the next drug shipment import."

"I... so soon after the-"

"After that you will be leaving with the boat back to Zistopia. From which point, your contract with us will be over. Am I understood?"

"You mean, I can leave?"

"Is that not what I said?" the badger replied, wearily.

"And my family? You'll let them-" With a click, the line went dead.

His mouth quivering, the goat slowly lowered the phone and gazed at the receiver. His eyes fell to gaze upon the photograph of his wife and kids. Dropping the receiver own onto the wood, his head fell into his hands, stifling something between a moan and a sob as both fear and fury grew within him in equal measures.

There was a knock on the door from outside. "Professor?"

Pulling himself together quickly, he called out. "Yes?"

"It's time for your lecture. Do you need a hand?"

"No, boy," he said, pulling himself to his feet, "I is fine, thank you, today."


	43. A Slip Through the Fingers

The university lecture hall was thick with a heavy silence. The students gazed down from their desks which were encircled around the teachers lectern like a roman stage - with many desks on many levels so those at the back could see over the heads of those in front. The structure was all made from wood, as old and hardy as the stone foundations of the building itself.

The University of History and Arts was one of the only buildings in Precinct One not to be built from glass and metal. Over six-hundred years old, this building - which once served as a place of worship for the pagan mammals of old; the first of their kind to believe that predator and prey could live in harmony together - now served as the center of learning for the whole city.

A clock hung upon the wall, flanked on all sides by scuffed and scarred blackboards, its pendulum swinging rhythmically back and forth to the morbid rhythm of its soulless tick, tick, tick.

The silence of the otherwise noiseless room was broken by the crack of the latch and the creek of the door as it swung in, followed by the hunched figure of an aging billy goat. He paced to the center of the room - behind his desk and surrounded on his front and sides by rows upon rows of students - and began to speak in his strange accent: a voice comprised from a little of every major language in the East.

"Good afternoon, class," he said, "thank you all for attending. Now, I know the last thing any of you want is a lecture on pre-historic architecture last thing on a Friday afternoon, I know you would all rather be off playing football or enjoying the company of your female companions, but what I have for you today is something really quite remarkable. The Zistopia Council Tower. Otherwise known as the Spike of the Desert, the Tower of the East and, most controversially, as Xibalba - owing to the torturous function of the tower in during the Medieval times." The billy goat paused, spotting a raised paw near the back of the class. "Yes, Jamie?"

"Mister Nyilas, is it true Zistopia's ran by a dictatorship?" he called.

"That is indeed a good question, Jamie. You refer, of course, to the rumor that the government their has been subverted and taken over by High-Secretary Hayes? I can tell you today that this rumor is not true."

"But you visited there recently," the boy called out again, "you lead an archaeology team on a dig in the gardens around the tower. You must've seen the bruit force the guards use when dealing whit-"

"Pure speculation, my boy," Nyilas cut in. "It is true, the quality of life in Zistopia is not precisely as great is has been said to be, but that can be said for any city. Zootopia itself is no exception."

"But I heard-"

"We are not here to discuss politics, boy. We are he to speak about the architectural construction of this most ancient building."

...

"Nick, hurry," Judy called over her shoulder as she carried on jogging down the corridor, her voice an odd mix between a shout and a whisper as she called out to the fox jogging silently behind, "the lectures already started; I didn't want to be late!"

"Fluff," Nick called in a whisper behind her, "you do realize we don't have to be on time, right? I mean, you do realize we're not actually on this course?"

"There's no harm in being on time, Nick. And there's no substitute for being punctual either."

The fox chuckled as they reached a large, gray door which lead to another corridor, helping the rabbit pull it open as she checked down the corridor to ensure it was empty before going through, the fox slipping in behind her. "I don't think that's quite the reason, Hopps," he said, nudging her with his elbow as they jogged.

"Why, what... whatever could you mean?"

"I think there's another reason you're trying so hard to keep your mind occupied. A particular recent event maybe? A singular little something that happened in the car just now-"

"Nick! We don't have time for this," she shot, "now, the lecture started five minutes ago which means we only have twenty-five minutes to find where he is and make an arrest."

"Then how about, my love," he said, tersely, "we go to reception and just ask?"

Judy's jogging slowed to a halt. She paused, and turned to the fox. "It could really be that easy?"

"We don't live in a spy thriller, Hopps. At least, I don't think."

The rabbit looked off to the side, a small smile growing and a single chuckle leaving her lips. "Well," she said, "what do you know? You get so good at thinking your way through tough situations, you forget just how simple the answer can sometimes be."

The fox smiled down at her. Her gaze returning to his, she turned briskly, grabbed him by the wrist, and started jogging back down the corridor in the other direction. "Come on, Nick," she called as the fox stumbled and struggled to get his footing, "I'd hate to miss all the interesting bits."

...

Picking up another Polaroid, Victor Nyilas loaded it into the projector, and an enlarged image of a black, stone staircase appeared on the blackboard behind him.

"This is another point of interest," he continued, addressing the students before him while pointing to the photo of the staircase behind him. "There are one hundred and seventy-seven steps in total. Seven flights of seven steps, five flights of eleven, three flights of thirteen and two flights of seventeen - which are spiral staircase that, together, act as the main stairways up to the roof of the tower. And I'm sure all of you can see the mathematical pattern and understanding this shows. A mathematical understanding we did not realize they possessed when this tower was built."

He paused for a moment, listening to the scratching of pencils and the tapping of computer keyboards as the students made notes - knowing this may well be the very last lecture he would ever make.

"These steps have, like the rest of the building, been calved with the utmost care, skill and attention. Every surface of every step is a perfectly flat and smooth surface. The steps are a constant size and width, with each step being he same steepness and distance from every other, and the workmanship unflawed in every way. This - coupled with how entangled the staircases are with one another and with the many rooms of the tower - certifies the fact these long-forgotten craftsmammals mad some kind of skill or technology we no longer remember today. Some, so-called 'experts' claim that this is the work of other worldly bodies. This is, of course, utterly ridiculous."

"But what about the theory that this rock came from outer space," a female from down the front called out, "doesn't that have some merit?"

"A valid point, Samantha," the goat answered. "It is true that no scientist - of physics or of geography - have been able to identify where in all Zoophon this piece of rock even came from, or how it was dragged across several hundred miles of desert, stood erect, and then buried thirty-five feet underground. Your suggestion - and the suggestion of others: that the that the tower was originally a great meteor - is not only partly plausible, but also explains how it came to be so deeply embedded in dry sand - not an easy material to dig by any means. It could be that this rock was, at one stage, many times bigger than it is now, but it burnt up while entering the atmosphere, embedded itself in the desert, and then was chiseled and shaped into the building we find today, by a race of ancient mammals."

Pacing to one of the blackboards, Nyilas picked up a piece of chalk and started to scratch out a few lengthy calculations. "But this is not an all-that-satisfactory answer," he continued, "as, if we take into account the mass of the tower today, estimate the size it would've been when it entered the atmosphere and when it landed, multiply that by the velocity with which it would have hit the earth, times by the area of the base to give us the pressure of impact..."

...

Not far from the lecture hall, a pare of gray doors burst open and a rabbit hurried through, the door suddenly swinging back upon the fox who was fallowing close behind, almost knocking him off his feet before he managed to slip through the rapidly closing space between.

"Come on, Nick," Judy said hurriedly as her gaze darted about her, "which way did the receptionist say to go now? Up the stars? Straight on?"

"Up the stairs and then a left," Nick said, rubbing the sore patch on his arm, "but, Carrots, why~" The fox trailed off as Judy darted up the stairs, failing to hear him (or notice him talking at least). "Judy!" Nick called after her, making the rabbit stop at the top of the staircase and turn to him expectantly.

"What?"

"Why the big hurry? We've got time."

"What do you mean? We have no time. Sure, we don't exactly have a deadline we need to have Nyilas arrested by, but the sooner we can get him behind bars, the sooner we can focus all our attention on getting Bogo a warrant which we do have a deadline for. You with me?"

"I guess."

The rabbit crossed her arms. "Nick, where's your enthusiasm?"

The fox gazed absently off to the side, still rubbing the pain in his arm unthinkingly.

The rabbit's eyes flicked from his face to his paw, then back to his face again. A small smile spread on her face. "You hurt your arm on the door, didn't you?"

"...yeah."

Skipping down the staircase, she came to a level where her head was level with his own, leaning forwards suddenly and kissing him on the nose. "Come on," she said, hurrying back up, "stop being such a cub. We have work to do."

Smiling at her, the fox jogged up the staircase behind her. The rabbit pulled the door at the top open to step through and, this time, held it open for the red fox behind her.

...

Chalking out a final, long number and underlining it several times (making all the mammals with a good seance of hearing wince from the terrible scratching noise it made) Nyilas wrote out the result of his sums. "If an object impacted the earth with this kind of tremendous force," he stated, sternly, "then the tectonic plate would have split been split in two, the desert would be turned into the largest volcano in Zoophon, half the continent would have been coated in lava and the other half would have sunk beneath the sea. The massive changes in the climate would, ultimately, have ruptured the planet core, ending all life on its surface."

The goat turned to the raised paw of a leopard in one of the wings. "Yes, Jerome?"

"If it really is that implausible, why do some scientists believe it?"

"Simply because it is the most logical theory of all the ones which present themselves. It is impossible that this piece of black marble came from within the desert itself - this is one thing at least all theorists agree on - so it either came from space or was dragged across an absolute minimum distance of three hundred and eighty-seven miles of sand."

...

In one corner of the room, between the slots of two desks on one of the upper levels, a pare of large, gray ears poked out from behind a rafter, another pare of smaller, red ears just peeping up beside them.

...

"I myself once tried to calculate how many mammals it would take to move a piece of stone this size across such a great distance and found the number impossible to comprehend. Not with all the paws in Zootopia and Zoophon could we move this stone an inch - not one jot - not only because of its enormous size or weight but also because it is so heavy it would constantly be burrowing down into the sand, making it almost impossible to shift without digging it all out again. What's more, given the scorching temperatures in the daytime and the freezing winds at night, the death toll would have been in the millions."

...

"Great hiding place, Nick," Judy whispered to the fox beside her as she glanced about at her surroundings. Behind the tiered platforms of desks which formed a semicircle around where the elderly don was presenting his lecture, was a disorganized tangle of structural supports - wooden beams and iron polls - to keep the structure supported; it was here, behind the platforms of chairs and desks upon which the listeners sat, among the beams and polls, that the fox and the rabbit crouched in quiet observation.

Judy tilted her head a little to the side, trying to watch the professor between the legs of a student who was completely oblivious to her presence there.

Nick turned to the rabbit carefully as she continued watching the form of Nyilas continuing his speech. She had definitely been busying herself with their getting here to avoid unnecessary thinking - no matter what she said - and this was the first time since it happened she had given herself time to think it through. While Nick had enjoyed it what it lasted - he loved it - he was beginning to regret giving into his desires like that.

The fox watched as Judy's gaze on the teacher started to blur as her thoughts turned inwards. Her gaze fell just a little as her thoughts deepened and, eventually, her gaze fell from the teacher altogether as she considered what had happened.

Nick spoke, trying not to sound concerned as he asked, "You look troubled, Hopps; you okay?"

"Yeah... I'm just-"

"If this is about what just happened in the car," he sighed, "then-"

"It's not that," she said firmly, "it's this. It's just... I don't know, it just doesn't sit right is all. You know?"

"I know," the fox replied, "you're wondering why a well-respected billy goat with a wife and kids who's long past the age of settling down decides to get into bed with a bunch of drug dealers."

"Yeah."

"Well, that's something I can't answer, Hopps. I may be pretty good at judging peoples past, but I'm not not a mind reader. All I can do is agree with you." His voice turned slow and distant and his thoughts deepened. "Why does a well-respected archaeologist get into bed with a bunch of drug dealers?"

"We can always ask him later," Judy said, "and remember, we're not here to scare him, so no shouting 'you're under arrest' or anything like that. It'll only make things harder when we could just ask him nicely if he'd come. We clear?"

A few moments passed without an answer and she glanced to the fox to see him too deep in thought and preoccupied to notice what she had said or make an answer. She looked back to the front, watching as Nyilas - apparently just a pleasant teacher by all accounts - politely engaged with another student.

Her lips tightened. She couldn't believe this elderly mammal the head of a massive crime operation. This somewhat bumbling professor of archeological sciences just couldn't be. It just didn't work in her head; it just didn't sit right - none of it.

Her mind drifted back to what Nick had told her recently. 'Everyone has their price.' Could it be, she thought, that Nyilas is just a pawn in this? The rabbit found her heartbeat rising as the thought entered her brain. It's a big leap to make for sure, but it sure as hell isn't Nyilas! I wounder what Nick would think if...

The rabbit turned to him, sharply, just as Nick turned to face her. The fox's eyes set upon the rabbit's expression, his brow furrowed with thought. There was silence for moment and then he nodded slightly, his voice dry and resolute.

"You think so too?"

"There has to be more to this then we're seeing."

"We don't have any proof, Hopps," he said, although he clearly agreed with her.

"I know, Nick, but someone has to be the head of this drug operation. And it sure as hell isn't Nyilas.

"I know, Judy," the fox sighed, grimly.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," he said, "I'm just worried is all. Just how big is this gonna turn out to be?"

"I don't know, Nick," she said, putting her paw on his, "but we're going to find out."

The fox's paw closed on the rabbit's; her gaze rose to watch the elderly mammal at the front. "It doesn't matter what leverage whoever really runs this operation has against Nyilas," she said, "once we take him in, it won't be long before we can convince him that we can help. He'll tell is everything he knows about the operation - I'm sure of it - and whoever is really in charge will, with a little luck, be apprehended by the end the day."

"Like it's gonna be that easy," Nick muttered beside her.

"Hey, it might be," she said sweetly, stepping closer to her fox and slipping her arms around his waist. "Come on, have a little faith. Nyilas is bound to have some information on whoever it is. All we need is a name and address, and we can put an end to this struggle."

The fox put his arms around the sweat-smelling rabbit needfully. He still couldn't fight off the feeling of trepidation he had woken up with. His first thought that morning had been that this was going to be a very long and difficult day. And that sense had stuck with him, and had been growing steadily stronger with every moment that had past.

He tried to ignore it - he was good at ignoring it, experience at ignoring it - but the fear remained all the same, and so he clung extra firm to the rabbit, denying the truth that he already knew: that something bad was going to happen.

...

"But we come, now, to perhaps the most striking fact of all. Whatever technology these ancient people had to be able to carry this gigantic rock across such a vast dessert landscape, no matter how skillful they were in chipping and calving the rock, regardless of what system they used to make sure every floor was flat and level and every wall was perfectly vertical... all facts pail away when we consider the strength of the rock."

From his pocket, Victor Nyilas pulled a small piece of gray rock which he set down upon his desk. "This," he said, "is a piece of marble similar to the kind the tower is made from. In other words, your average piece of marble. If I were to take a three pound lump hammer and hit this rock, it would shatter into shards. If this piece of rock were of the same material as the tower, however, I could take a ten pound lump hammer and the handle would break long before the rock would."

"But sir," interrupted a voice from about the center of the group, "how can you know how strong the stone is? I thought taking samples was illegal."

"It is," Nyilas replied, "but I was blessed." He paused for a moment, a smile growing. "As you know, there has been very little in the way of archaeological finds in that area - hence why there are so rarely digs there. I, however, thought there would be no better way to end my carrier as an archaeologist then one final dig around the Zistopia Council Tower. I was, during this dig, contacted by High-Secretary Hayes. As it transpired, he had heard that this was my last dig and, as a retirement gift, permitted me to use lazier technology to remove a piece of stone from its outer surface, one centimeter in size and half a millimeter in depth.

"As soon as I returned to Zootopia, I took this shard down to the laboratory here in the university and began to examine it. It's intermolecular structure is like nothing I have seen. It's almost as though this rock is an alloy between marble and crystal - in the same way bronze is an alloy between copper and tin. But the technology to create an alloy from two non-metallic substances does not exist nor did it ever exist - for it is as impossible to make a single substance from crystal and marble as it is to make lead into gold.

"The strength of this structure also poses some interesting questions. For instance, if a modern day builder were to sit at the foot of the tower with a bag of sharp chisels and a mallet, he could sit there all day and blunt every single one of his chisels before making so much as a scratch to the surface. This material is impervious to damage from any hand tool, can strongly resist most kinds of electric tools, can withstand small explosives without taking any damage and is effectively bulletproof. In fact, by my calculations, it is my belief that it should, possibly, even be able to withstand a head on collision with one of the smaller types of missile without sustaining enough damage to compromise its structural integrator.

"The front door is no less thick and, once sealed and bared from inside, is practically as impervious to any kind of damage as the rest of the building. So," he added, "if you find yourself locked outside, there is really very little you can do to get back in short of calling in a tank and three hundred pounds of TNT. When this place was used as a fortress in the Medieval times, it was considered literally impregnable once the doors were locked."

Clearing his throat, Victor pulled the last of the photos out of the proctor and flicked on the lights. Blinking as his eyes adjusted, he proceeded to shut off the proctor, wipe his calculations off the board, and then addressed the class as a whole.

"Class, thank you all very much for attending. I am sorry to inform you of this, but it may be impossible for me to provide any more lectures. I know I did not mention this to you before, but I didn't want to leave without just telling you what a privilege it has been to teach hear." Almost choking up, the goat forced his voice to continue. "Good-bye, all of you. And I wish you the very best of luck in the exams."

With that, the goat turned and swiftly left the room. Darting back from their viewing portal, Nick and Judy rushed to get out. They knew... the chase was on.

...

Nyilas stepped from the lecturing hall for what he knew would be the last time. He began pacing down the first-floor corridor slowly, looking about at the wide hall and tall ceiling as though never seeing it before.

A door swung open some way up the corridor behind him and a voice call out.

"Mister Nyilas," he heard a female say, "may we have a word?"

His brow raised, he turned to see who it was. What he had expected to see was one of his students, wishing to bid him a personal farewell. What he saw instead, was the very rabbit and fox he had been warned about.

"Officer Wilde and I were-"

"-great Scott!"

With that, the goat turned and started to sprint away with all the speed a sixty-three-year-old professor of archaeology could muster - which admittedly wasn't much. It took a moment for them to process what had happened, but when they did, Nick and Judy exploded into motion behind him. The few seconds head start had given him a little time, but it would be only seconds before the two Officers would catch up.

The goat reached the end of the corridor and knew running wasn't going to get him anywhere. He couldn't out-fight them; he couldn't out-run them. His gaze darted frantically around for an answer. It came.

Darting to the fire extinguisher at the end of the corridor, Nyilas tugged it from the wall, pulled the pin, pointed it in the direction of the fox and the rabbit as they came to within grabbing distance of him - and unleashed a bellow of freezing gas towards them.

Nick and Judy stumbled back from the intense cold, covering their faces, blinded by the icy smoke as they backed instinctively away.

Still spraying the extinguisher's contents towards them, the goat backed hurriedly away. Glancing to his side, he spotted fire alarm sounder and broke the glass with the butt of the heavy device.

As the alarm rang out, the officers tried again to approach him, but were unable to negate the wall of icy cold between them. But, moments later, the fire extinguisher ran out of gas, and Nyilas dropped it like a dead weight before bolting off down the corridor.

"Hurry," Judy called, recovering quickly from the cold, "after him!"

But just as the officers started giving chase, the doors to the many lecture halls in this corridor swing open and a hoard of students filtered out - summoned by the call of the fire alarm.

Within moments, the entire corridor was packed with a slow-moving procession of mammals steadily filtering towards the staircase down. Far too slow for Nick and Judy as they tried to get through the mass of bodies.

Nimble though they were in darting through spaces and in between legs, their speed was still severely slowed by the mass of mammals, and they lost sight of Nyilas almost instantly.

"Damn it," Judy muttered, trying to squeeze past a rhino and an elephant and failing. "Nick, quickly, think of a plan to get us out of this."

"Too late," said Nick from just behind her.

"What do you mean 'too late'?"

"I mean we've lost him," he said, flatly.

"Nick, I-"

"Look."

Judy turned her head and saw Nick no longer moving but just staring out of the upstairs window. She turned fully and made her way back towards him, following his eye as he gazed solemnly outside.

"Is that Nyilas?" Judy asked.

"Yeah."

"Getting into the back of that black car?"

"Uh-huh."

Leaning forwards, Judy looked at the drop. "Nick, you think we could jump down from here? Get to the cruiser and follow them?"

He gave her a sideways glance. "If you want to break your ankle - or your neck - I guess you could, but I wouldn't advise it."

"So what do we do?"

After a moment of thought, Nick inhaled a long breath and let it out in a slow sigh, his voice low and dry. "...we phone Bogo and tell him we lost our lead."

Both mammals watched in their own little bubble of silence, surrounded by the excited chatter of dozens of mammals and the wailing bellow of the alarm, as they watched the elderly goat rush into the back of a low car with tinted-black windows before being driven quickly away.

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde stood in silence a few moments more. Judy's expression rose to look at Nick's expectantly; Nick looked down at her, despondently. He turned away from her as he spoke.

"Come on, Hopps," he spat as he paced away, "let's get out of here."

Judy's gaze returned to the window, at a loss of what to do or how to feel as the black car drove up the road and disappeared out of sight. Raising her paw, she touched it upon her chest.

"Coming... Nick."

...

"Do you think they're following us?"

"No."

"Are you sure? What if they-"

"Just shut up!"

Sitting back down in his seat, Nyilas let out a slow lung of air as he tried to figure out what had just happened. The car was empty but for the driver, a coyote, who he asked, "how did you know to pick me up?"

"I was just instructed to. Apparently the boss already knew Wilde and Hopps we're gonna try and arrest you."

"He sent you here to save me?"

"It's looking that way."

The old professor was silent for a moment long, thinking on how he might strike up a conversation with this rather unpleasant fellow.

"It's George," he said, "isn't it?"

"None of your business, gramps."

"What happened to your hand?"

"Some dog stuck a knife in me."

"Oh. So, where are we going now?"

"To the docks."

"Won't the police still be their?"

"Until nightfall. But the boat's ready to make dock as soon as they're gone."

"How do you know?"

"I just know, alright?"

"But," Nyilas tried, "someone told me you have to keep radio silence to stay undetected."

"We do," the coyote said, "but I was on the boat. I came assure on a little rowing boat with an advanced party. It'll be our job to open the gates for the vans later."

"You came on the boat?"

"Isn't that what I said?"

"Are you the captain?"

"No, but I am in charge."

Nyilas fell silent for several seconds, then muttered under his breath, "No, you're wrong. The Lord of Zistopia... he's in charge."

* * *

 **Ten points to whoever can tell me the mathematical significance to the staircases mentioned by Nyilas.** **...a further hundred points if you give me your pin number, bank details and account number.**


	44. The Matter at Hand

A current of cool air flowed through the Chief of the ZPD's office. Its source, a small, electric fan set upon the desk beside the large cape buffalo. A small smile grew on the buffalo's face as he scratched marks onto the blueprints he was examining with a red pencil, marking out the main entrance and exit points to the building and deciding how best the raid might proceed.

His gaze traced along the map of the Erkin Enterprise building, and then his radio beeper buzzed beside him.

He reached out a hoof automatically and pressed the respond button. "Yes?"

"Chief," he heard Clawhauser say, "it's Wilde on the line."

"Well tell him to get down from there, damn it."

"Erm... no, sir. I mean on the radio."

"Oh." Bogo was silent for an instant, then, "well, put him through then."

"Right, sir."

There was a click as the line was changed.

"Chief," Wilde greeted.

"Officer Wilde," Bogo responded, "how goes business? I trust Officer Hopps is with you?"

"Actually, sir," Nick said, scratching his neck, "she had to visit the ladies room."

"Very well. You call in to report you have Nyilas, I assume?"

"Well, not exactly sir, no."

"...pardon?"

"In actual fact, sir, we, actually, sort of, lost him, sir, actually."

"Say, that, again."

"What I said was, sir, we... we lost him."

A single second passed. A second which, in the mind of the fox, lasted as long  
and slow as the changing of the season. After an eternity of listening to nothing but the sound of his own rapidly beating heart, Bogo's voice broke the silence.

"...I see."

A shiver ran down the fox's back and all the way to the tip of his tail. Bogo was never this calm; only when he was very, _very_ angry.

"I'm sorry, sir," Nick said suddenly, "it wasn't our fault. Nyilas managed to set the fire alarm off, he grabbed an extinguisher, and-

"I'm sure it wasn't your fault, Wilde," the chief said, calmly, "it was my fault for believing you and officer Hopps could handle it. I'm-"

" _Hey_ ," Nick cut in, his voice sharp as a razor, "now you can _not_ bring Judy into this. She works harder and longer then any other officer in the ZPD and you know it. Punish me for this by all means, but don't even think of-"

"Only someone very brave, of very stupid, stands up to their Chief like that. Fortunately for you, Wilde, I know exactly which of the two you are."

"Sir," Nick said, "I-"

"Know that there is nothing directly personal in this, Wilde, but if you and Hopps are unable to detain a goat in his seventies then this throws serious doubt upon the wisdom of promoting the two of you to Detective Inspector."

"Chief-"

"And while I do appreciate the faith you have in Officer Hopps and admire, somewhat, how readily you stand up to her at a moments notice - even against your own boss - you must remember that her safety and yours are my chief concern."

The fox sighed. He may not have liked it, but it was true.

"Call me mean if you must, but it is imperative I do not overestimate yours or Hopps' abilities. And I cannot have detective's who fail to apprehend elderly don's. The two of you are supremely capable, yes, but you do not have the experience to go with it."

The fox opened his mouth; Bogo talked through him.

"Whatever the excuse may be, I am legally obliged to reconsider. Do you understand the position I am in?"

"I guess."

"Do you understand!"

" _Yes_ , sir."

"Good." Bogo paused for a moment, sitting slowly back in his desk. "Now, Wilde, answer me honestly: are you and Officer Hopps capable of getting me this warrant?"

"Of course, sir."

"But are you also capable of doing so without being putting yourselves at an unnecessary amount of risk? With assurance you will show restraint and the ability to control a difficult and dangerous situation?"

"Sir," Nick said, bringing all the self-assurance into his voice as he was able, "you can count on us."

"Alright, fox," Bogo shot, "but listen. I am putting a tremendous amount of trust in your and your partners abilities here. You must get us this warrant legislated tonight and within the appointed time else word that we are onto them may somehow reach gangs ears. They will relocate, and there will be even more crime on our streets. Do you understand me?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good. There have been enough drug-related deaths in the past few weeks without adding more to the list." Bogo grunted, grimly. "If only I had spotted the signs sooner, moved in and quell this before it began. All the same, if you and Hopps are unable to see this through, well... it'll be more then just your promotions that'll be brought into question."

The fox forced down a gulp. "Understood, sir."

"So you failed to arrest Nyilas. I hope to hear you found something from your investigation at Registry House wasn't all wasted?"

"Not at all, sir," he said, "in fact, we had some quite interesting results."

"Enough to have the warrant put through?"

"Oh, err, not quite, sir."

"Then what have you found," Bogo roared.

"The management," Nick said, hurriedly, "the management of the company's changed but it's still down as being owned by the same mammal. Pretty suspect, huh?"

"...that's it?"

"Well, sir, I-"

"You honestly think a minor administrative error like that is going to convince a judge to sanction a search warrant?

"But-"

" _No,_ Wilde! Follow your original orders as planned. You have three and a half hours, and counting."

"Sir," Nick said, "I have some ideas in how we might-"

"I don't want ideas, Wilde, I want results. We - _you_ \- are rapidly running out of time in this matter and I need to _know_ , without a shadow of a doubt that, that you will be able to get me this warrant in to me on time. Am I clear?"

"I-"

" _Good!_ "

The line went dead. The fox stared down at the lifeless radio in his hand. He sighed, and pulled himself to his feet. He gazed about at the empty lecture hall he was in - the students and teachers still fussing over the report of a fire - before slowly pacing his way towards the door. He pulled it open a notch, whistling softly to the rabbit waiting patently outside, sat on the bench like a misbehaving schoolgirl about to receive a telling-off, with her ears slack and her head drooped; her legs swinging slowly back and forth on the high chair.

As he whistled, one of the rabbit's ears pricked up and Judy turned to him and smiled sadly, but fondly, as she stood and walked over towards him.

"How did he take it?" she asked softly as she came in.

"As well as could be expected," the fox replied, flopping back down on the office chair and smiling at her easily. A beat past, and then Nick's set smile twitched, for a moment, info a frown. "Not to bore you with details," he added, his voice cracking just a little, "but, suffice it to say, that promotion might be out the window by this point." His forced smile broke as his gaze fell to the floor and he raised a paw to rub his eyes.

The rabbit took the fox's paws in her's, waiting until his gaze rose to meet hers again. "Thank you," she said, "for making that call for me."

The fox looked on falteringly for a few moments, but then a smile, a true smile this time, broke upon his face. "It's alright, Hopps. Anything for you. You know that."

"Yeah," she grinned, "I know."

Her main desire in that moment was to crawl up into the fox's lap and simply stay there for as long as she could, but she knew she had a job to do. Not only that, but they had to get back into Bogo's good books. She shuddered visibly. _If our promotions are already on the line, what's gonna happen if we mess Bogo's warrant up? If we're the reason for the raid falling apart? The reason for-_

The fox squeezed her paws, reassuringly. "I'm here, Fluff," he said, earnestly, "we'll make it through this, whatever happens."

Her gaze returned to his as she took in his warm expression and she breathed the sweet scent which filled her nose. A different desire made itself known to her. _Damn Heat,_ she muttered internally. With a tremendous display of emotional strength, she managed to hold down the desire - telling herself they could sort everything out in a few short hours after the raid - and spoke to the fox, formally.

"So, what are our orders?"

"Well," Nick said, "turns out a, so-called, 'minor administrative error' isn't nearly enough to get the judge to ordain a warrant. Perhaps if we had more time-"

"There's no point in thinking of the might've beens, Nick. Let's just focus on the here and now."

Nick nodded. "We're to follow our original orders as planned. Find a way to infiltrate the warehouse without being seen, find incriminating evidence, photograph or record it, and get it back to HQ."

"So was the trip to Reg' all a waste of time?"

"I've been thinking about that one, Hopps. It might be a bit of a longsot, but it might just work."

"Well, what is it?"

"I'll explain on the drive over. Bogo want's us back by four and it's half past ten now. That only gives us three hours to work with - if you count the time it's gonna take to get us there and to the ZPD HQ - so we'd best get a move on."

"Okay," Hopps said, starting to make her way from the lecture hall with the fox following behind, "I'll drive again, and you run me through your plans."

"Follow me, Hopps," Nick said, "I'm right behind you."

* * *

 **Side note: in the previous chapter there were seven flights of seven steps, five flights of eleven, three flights of thirteen and two flights of seventeen. Arrange these into numerical order and you're left with: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13 and 17. In other words, a list of the first seven prime numbers.**

 **Oh, by the way, happy Friday the Thirteenth everybody.**


	45. Growing Momentum

**Please note that the content of this chapter becomes gradually more mature as it progresses. As before, the moment where things reach a level I would conciser to be 'Mature' has been marked by three asterisks.**

* * *

The beaming sun glowed as midday approached. It's golden light shone down upon the hot earth with a warm light which gladdened the heart and made the world look all that little bit more glossy and healthy. A thin wind had stirred in the previously breathless air, bringing with it a subtle relief to the stifling warmth of before.

The light of the sun - no longer intense and offensive - now beamed down more softly, shining off the black-tainted glass of a small ZPD cruiser as it was driven through the city streets. The warm light shone in through the windows, beaming down on the driver within. A red fox.

The sun reflected coolly of the fox's black, aviator sunglasses, drawing a bright and mischievous gleam to his stylishly sleek shades. His small, lazy smile was brought up clearly in the light, the features of his handsome face cleanly and crisply defined.

His blue, ZPD uniform looked fresh and crisp as the blue sky above, neatly pressed and ceaseless. Its cut fitted the fox perfectly and displayed remarkably the wideness of his shoulders. He did not have a particularly muscular body by any means, but the simple way in which he wore his shirt and how the sun seemed to brighten everything positive about him, made him appear just that little bit more _-masculine-_ then normal.

The tips of his black claws glinted in the daylight as he drove, polished and sparkling like fine diamonds. His deep red, almost black hands were large yet delicate, and seemed to hold the steering wheel softly, like one would hold a lover, inside the rough yet tender pads of his hands.

The red fox had rolled up his sleeves to his elbows in reaction to the heat, revealing yet more of that fine, russet fur which, in this light, shone and glowed like firelight, capturing and memorizing the eye, captivating the interest of anyone who might look upon him.

His tie had been loosed roguishly, and the top few of his buttons undone, revealing just a little more of that creamy fur on his chest which lead down from his muzzle. A creamy fur which was thicker and far softer then the russet, a kind of softness that made you want to burrow your head close beside him and just enjoy the sensation of feeling his fur. A creamy fur which she remembered being was so warm against her own fur that night.

A creamy fir which lead all the way down to the base of his chest, where it tapered down like an arrow to the base of his belt, pointing and directing the eye down to the the lump of meat in his trousers the rabbit could clearly see in her mind's eye, that muscle she wished so desperately to feel thrusting deep inside her as she lay there on her back, her legs spred wide apart for her lover to enter, bringing her closer and closer with every thrust to the sweet release of org-

Judy swiftly turned away and bit her lip as she tried to stop herself thinking endlessly about Nick and Nick's incredible body. She knew it was a loosing battle: she had been thinking about him pretty much constantly since she realized her Heat had started.

She turned to the front window and, again, tried to ignore the constant urge to mate with her partner the rabbit was suffering, and forced herself to focus on nothing but the road in front. Beside her, a predatory nose twitched as a slight tang filtered into the air.

Wilde licked his lips - partly in preparation to talk, partly as a natural reaction to the delectable scent in the air - and opened his mouth to talk, purposefully pouring all the honey and syrup into his words as he could.

"You okay there Hopps?" he said, his voice rich and smooth as the finest hot chocolate, oozing hotly into the ears and melting all Judy's other desires but to mate with him away.

" _Oohhhh_ ," the rabbit groaned, apparently barely noticing the fox had spoken, merely reacting to the pure alluring of his voice as she slipped down lower into the fount passenger seat, her expression slackening as all the held back desires returned to her tenfold. "Fluffing Heat," she muttered.

"I'm I really that attractive you can't even keep your paws off me for five minutes?" Nick teased.

Judy brought a paw up and rubbed her forehead. "Nick, if you were suffering as much as I was right now, you wouldn't be teasing. You'd be begging me to let you fu-"

"Oh I doubt that, Hopps," he cut in, "I think you'll find I have _way_ more self-control then you do. I'm not even thinking about what it'd be like to take you down," he continued, his voice becoming lower, "to press you flat against the bed beneath me, to strip you of you-"

"Nick," she said, breathlessly, "for five minutes, could you not be yourself?"

He grinned. "After all," he added, smugly, "I'm not the one in heat at the moment."

"I know that," Judy huffed, "and that's why I'm asking you to stop-"

"Just think, Carrots," Nick whispered in her ear as he drove, "just imagine it: you and I will be alone with each other tonight. You'll want me inside you like nothing you've wanted before, and yet the most we can do with each other is a bit of touchy-feeley."

"Oh, don't remind me of my parents-"

"Now just picture for a second what'd happen if we forget about your parents, and just let what happens... happen."

The car fell silent. Nick glanced across to Judy with a satisfied smile at the result of his words as he saw the rabbit with her head buried in her hands, her legs crossed tightly together as though trying to hold her arousal within her, the muscles in her legs and arms tense.

" _Just imagine,_ " Nick breathed, a whisper in the air, " _what it would be like to_ -"

"Nick, please," she yelled, suddenly, "I am _so_ close to loosing my control right now! Your jokes have got to stop."

"Loosing your control? What happens if you loose your control?"

"I'm sure you can guess," she shouted as she shoved the fox in the side."

"No, go on Hopps, what happens?"

"I don't _know_ Nick, but I'll only do something I regret."

"You're saying that you would regret it if we mated?" Nick asked, flatly.

Judy was stunned into silence for all but half a second, then she groaned as she ground her teeth together. "Walked into that one, didn't I?" she grumbled, before containing, "Nick, you know that wasn't at all what I meant."

"So what are you saying," he said, the slightest of teasing qualities entering his voice, "that you would like to mate with me? Is that it?"

"Nick, I am not giving you the satisfaction of hearing that. And I thought I told you to stop teasing!"

"Who says I'm teasing?"

"What? Of course it is! This is all just a big joke to you, isn't it?"

Wilde allowed his manor to shift into looking offended. "And what is it I'm supposed to be finding funny?"

"...what?"

"You said this is a joke to me," he stated, firmly. "That means you must think I'm finding some part of what's going on hilarious."

"You say that," Hopps said, though doubt starting to cross her mind, "but I know you're laughing on the inside."

"And why would that be?" he said, tersely.

"Because you _always_ enjoy teasing me!" Judy shot, shouting again, "our whole relationship is _built_ on teasing each other. We will take advantages of one anothers weakness for the sake of a few laughs, and I bet you can't think of anything funnier then watching me fall apart in a miasma of Heat and sexual frustration."

Nick was silent for a moment, then, "So what about the question I asked before, about what'd happen if you'd loose control?"

The rabbit glowered at him stubbornly for a moment. She folded her arms, turned to the front window and tutted, resolutely. "Fine," she stated, "if I loose control entirely, I'll be begging you to take me to your bed, okay?"

Wild blinked, facing the road and saying nothing but taking it all in.

"And every single little joke and comment you're making is bringing me closer and closer to that point. And I _know_ that's what you're trying to do," she shouted in a perfect example of how Heat causes mood swings, "I know you only keep teasing me about for the soul purpose of trying to make me loose that control. If I loose that control, I'll be begging for you to have me, and I know that's what you want to hear," she added, bitterly, "just for the pleasure of being able to smugly remind me of the agreement we made to follow my parent's wishes."

"Okay, Judy... okay." Nick was silent for a long moment as he pondered his next step. "So, I admit, I was aware there was a limit to how much control you had over your desires, and that if I kept pushing you, you'd eventually loose that control."

"Hah!"

"But... let me ask you something, you think I only want that so I can tease you about it? So that I can laugh at you for loosing your control before I did?"

"Yes!" she shot.

Wilde allowed the car to decelerate to a stop before a set of traffic lights. He turned to her. His voice was soft as he spoke, but also, Judy noticed, subtly strained too.

"...and what if that assumption isn't the case?"

Judy turned to him, vaguely; Nick kept his expression perfectly still.

"And," he continued, slowly, "what if... it actually turned out I lost my self-control before you did?"

Hopps blinked at him. An array of emotions slowly played out across her face, mixing from surprise, anger, puzzlement, hope and, finally, pure and simple fatigue.

Her body slumped. Nick glanced to her. If he had seen that look from her at any other time, he would have assumed it was either sunstroke or concussion. The truth of what it was - and the fact that _he_ was the soul cause - only goaded the fox to go on.

"Nick, I... I don't know what any of that meant," she muttered, slowly, "but, I can't do this anymore."

A hot streak of blind fear leaped up the fox's back, his mind screaming _She means this relationship! She's gonna dump ya!_ over and over again. "W - what," he stuttered, unsteadily, as he tried to convince himself it must be something else, "you... you mean the raid tonight?"

"No, Nick, not the raid."

"Then... th- then what?"

The fox watched out of the corner of his eye as the rabbit pushed herself back into her chair, a single paw slipping down towards her laps. For an instant, Wilde thought she was about to slip her paw beneath the sheets, as it were, and start touching herself right in front of him, but then her paw pushed further down, digging into her leg, her paw becoming a fist of pent-up frustration and desire.

She spoke again, her voice oddly horse. "As I said," she began through gritted teeth, "a lot of what you said just then didn't make a lot of sense. Were you saying that you were just teasing me, or that you actually do want to mate with me? I can't tell. Are you saying you've lost your control too, or that you think I have? And, most importantly," she added, turning her head to face him, her expression weak, "are you still saying we should still stick to what my parents teach?"

The fox slowly put the car back into motion as the lights changed green before them, allowing the silence between them to continue, using his apparent busyness with driving as an excuse not to talk as he fought through the thick and emotional desires to find the right words to say - fearing that allowing himself to submit to those desires and saying the first thing to come to mind would cause him to loose control of the situation completely.

Eventually, he took in a long breath of the cool, air-conditioned air.

"What do you want," he said, simply."

Another moment of silence passed, and then Judy turned to face him, her expression soft and oddly sad-looking as she spoke.

"Honestly? What I want is this Heat to end. What I want, is to forget all about all the things I want to do with you but can't. What I want, is to be able to stop thinking about sex for just thirty-fluffing-seconds. What I _**need**_ is..." She turned slowly towards him, openly gazing at the tall lump which had recently grown between the fox's legs. "...something different entirely."

Wilde cleared his throat. "Well, I'm not surprised, to be honest," he said, mildly. "I mean, I know I told you earlier I don't know all that much about a rabbits mating season, but that's not the case. Over the past year I've done, well... lets just say I've spent quite some time _looking into_ those matters, and I'm pretty confident I have some idea of the kind of drive you're resisting at the moment."

"Huh. Think holding back a freight train with a teaspoon," Judy explained, grimly.

Nick chuckled. "And with what you go though when you're in Heat - even just a normal Heat - I get that it makes things hard for you to control in that respect but... but, this time, as well as all the other things your biology is trying to get you to do right now, you also have to be stuffed in a hot car with me hour after hour. And," he added, as you said, it was my intention to try and break your self-control. I'm sorry for the way in which I tried to do that, but it was the only way I could think to get you to do it."

"Yeah, it's not-" Judy cut herself off. "Wait... get me to do what?"

"But, what I'm saying is, Judy, is that I get what you're going through. I get that it's hard to fight something when it's what you want so bad it hurts. I get that you're finding it hard to resist doing what you want to do with me. I get that it's hard for you to stay true to you parent's wishes, and that you only have a finite amount of resolve to resist breaking those teachings. And if you're saying that your resolve has ran out, I understand, Hopps. Really I do."

"But, you... it was your intention to break my resolve; you said so yourself, so why-"

"Most of the time, I'd try and consolidate you; I'd try to gently ease your mind away from going through with it for the sake of your parents and your relationship with them. Normally, I'd try and dissuade you with whatever little slight of hand I'd need to use to get your mind off that subject and thinking about something else~"

"Normally? And what about now; this time?"

"But do you know what, Fluff? Do you know what's stopping me from saying that?"

"...what?"

"I've lost my resolve to."

The rabbit's confused expression cleared slowly. Her squinted eyebrows rose to bewilderment as her mind processed the meaning of the statement. She licked her lips. "You've lost your resolve too?"

The fox's expression was unusually grim, a hard frown set upon his muzzle. "Yeah. I mean, it had to happen sooner or later. There's only so many times I can refuse an open offer of sex. I'm only mammal. It takes a lot of strength to refuse what you've offered, knowingly or unknowingly, several times in the past couplea days." Nick drew in a long breath and let it out of his mouth, slowly. "And I don't have the strength to resist it again. Not a single, time, more."

Judy slowly reached out a paw and touched it upon her partner's leg, finding herself oddly calm now that the words she had been waiting for and fearing had actually come to pass; calm in her manor and her self-assurance that this was the right thing to do. The rabbit stared at him, relentless, until he slowed the car at lights and turned to face her. Then a slack smirk grew on her glazed expression. "So, tonight _is_ the night?" she asked.

Wilde was silent for a long time, trying to find the most emotionally neutral response he could think of, fearing that allowing even a fraction of how he was feeling right now would result in a sudden fit if passionate lovemaking right there and then, followed by an almost immediate collision with the car in front "Yes, Judy," he said at last, "tonight is, indeed, the night."

The smirk grew to a grin. Her resolve to resist the fox all used up, her parent's wishes and teachings abandoned, all the frustration and anger was lifted from the rabbit's body and she was filled wit trembling, giddy excitement. It dawned on her quickly that now they had actually agreed to break her parents wishes at long last, she found there was no real reason to have followed them in the first place!

 _Sex after marriage_ , she thought to herself gleefully, _that was such an old-fashioned outlook anyway._ *******

"Hey, Nick, I've got something to tell you." Judy tried to keep her breaths level, even as her heart rate accelerated exponentially within her. Her eyes traced down to her paw on Nick's leg. She slipped her hand upwards softly, bringing it to press against the budge between his legs, feeling the warmth and the swelling beneath her paw... "I've been looking forwards to tonight, for a _very_ long time."

The fox grinned at her, fiercely. The swelling rose quickly and hardened against her touch. For no other reason then she wanted to, the rabbit raised her paw to the rim of Nick's trousers. She flattened her paw, and slipped her hand inside.

Wilde gasped deeply as her small fingers found their way around the length of his desire, his head falling back against the headrest with a thunk as her soft and warm hand closed around him and squeezing him genitally.

Judy's grin shifted to an expression of intense and basic desire.

"And... by the _feel_ of things... I'd say you have to."


	46. A Stitch in Time…

_**'T' minus 195 minutes and counting...**_

* * *

The chill wind had picked up indeterminably as Hopps and Wilde continued their drive towards the industrial sector of Precinct One - not yet enough to cool the heat of the day, but enough to suggest of a cold night to come. After reaching a decision about Judy and a particular teaching of her parents, Nick and the rabbit had forced themselves to return their mind's to their work - seeing as time was limited and, after failing to get Nyilas, failing to get the warrant too could well cost them their jobs.

"Nick," Judy said, slowly, "If we've got the time... could we pop into my place quickly?"

Nick turned to her, a sharp grin on his muzzle. "As much as I'd love to, darlin', we seriously don't have the time for any of _that_."

"No," she said softly, a small blush growing, "I just have something I want to pick up: a couple of pills."

"Pills?"

"Uh-huh. The relaxant kind."

"Oh, for your Heat?"

"Yeah. I knew I should've brought them with me this morning but, like I said, my Heat wasn't supposed to start for another day or so."

"I know," Wilde said, glancing at the clock on the dashboard. "Well, we should just about have the time for that. Shall we?"

"Please. I'll need to pick them up sooner or later, and if we get them now, it'll save time later. You know, a stitch in time; all that."

"You mean," Nick said, maneuvering the car to the outside lane and taking the next left he came to as he made his way towards his partners apartment, "we can head straight over to mine after the raid?"

"And after I've talked with Jack. Any idea what you'll do while we're talking?"

"I was planning on taking a seat in the back somewhere, hiding behind a newspaper so I can keep an eye on the pare of you."

"Hah, you mean like the old spy thing with the eye holes cut out of the paper?"

"Something like that. But, erm..." he added, cautiously, "taking a step back in our conversatoin, we could, you know, save even more time."

The fox fell into silence as though that alone should be enough for the rabbit to understand what he meant. Naturally, she didn't, and she turned to him with a bewildered expression. "Save more time for what?"

"Well," he explained with a forced chuckle, teasing the stearingwheel uneasily as he spoke, "I think we both agree that it's a little awkward having all your clothes round yours and none round mine."

"I could pack a few spare outfits," Judy said slowly, still unsure if she had the right idea of what Nick was implying.

"Okay. Yeah, okay," he continued, "but erm, you know, you'll still have all your possessions over at your apartment - like the pills for your Heat and all that. I think it would save a lot of time for both of us your things were, erm..."

The fox trailed off. Judy sat their, gazing out the front window intently, still trying to figure out what he meant. An idea was slowly forming in the back of her mind _but,_ she reasoned, _surely, he wouldn't want to go that far with me, yet...?_

"And it's not the cleanest of environments you live in - there are certainly nicer areas in Zootopia to live in - plus, I'm sure you have better things to spend your wages on then your rent, and, an..." Wilde gulped softly and his voice broke "...and my place is more than big enough for two."

Understanding dawning, Judy slowly turned to face the fox. "Nick... is this going where I think it is?"

He continued staring out of the front window. "Where do you think it's going?"

Judy's voice fell deathly soft. "I think you're about to ask me to move in..."

The rabbit watched the fox, silently. The fox stared blankly out of the front window, not moving his expression nor saying a word. Doubt slowly entered Hopps' mind as the seconds of silence dragged on.

Unsure if she had jumped to conclusions she had no right to make and worried this sudden silence was Nick's trying to save her the embaracement of being rejected, Judy Hopps gazed out of the window, at the busy streets and tall buildings; at the average citizens going about their daily lives. But truthfully, her mind was entirely occupied on tonight; on what she and Nick would later be doing.

Her eyes drifting closed, the rabbit sighed a heavy sigh. Whether Nick wanted her to move in or not, what they planned to do with each other that night was still very real. 'Was she ready for this?': was the thought going round and around her mind. 'Was she ready to share her body with Nick's? With a fox?' It wasn't that the rabbit doubted their feelings for one another - and it certainly wasn't because he was a fox that put her off - it was simply the fear all women in her situation - all virgins have - when planning to do what she and Nick had planned for tonight.

Judy rubbed her forehead as she thought, a low groan escaping her. Then, she felt a warmth on her leg. She looked down, and saw Nick's paw resting gently on her knee. It wasn't an intimate or teasing touch, just one of support.

"Feeling alright?" Nick said, warmly.

"Yeah, just... well, huh, you know."

"I know, Hopps. Trust me, I know."

The rabbit's face brightened a little. "So, what was your first time like with Scarlett?"

Wilde glanced to her, sharply.

"Oh. Sorry, I probability shouldn't have asked that one."

Chuckling softly, a smile grew on Nick's expression. "It's okay, Hopps," he said, "you just surprised me is all. I guess you have a right to ask, but erm... I don't think recounting every move and every word would quite be respectful to her memory."

"I understand. Don't tell me if you don't want to."

"Not much to tell really," he said, vaguely, "there seemed to be a lot of tension in the air that night as I remember - a kind of tension that made the ears pop. We hadn't got a place together yet, so it must have been her little flat The Firm provided. She phoned me at my place one night and asked me to come round for a visit. It was late by then, late in the year too, but I wasn't about to argue."

Slowly, as he talked, the fox's voice gradually became less vague and more vivid, his gaze apparently lost in his old memories as he drove, a kind of reverence entering his words. Reverence, fondness, and a touch of sadness too. "I took a drive over to her's, entered the flat, walked up the stares, went in, and found her in her bedroom. She stood their in the corner, draped over the edge of the bed wearing this loose, duck-egg blue nightgown that was so thin you could practically see her fur through it. Not only that, but it brought out the color of her eyes and made them glow in the candlelight."

"Her eyes were blue?"

"Yeah," he said softly, as though talking from afar, "the softest pare of blue eyes you ever could see. They were so calm and cool when it was just the two of us alone, and yet, if we were in company or if she felt threatened, they would blaze up so sharp and cold. I was the only mammal who she would ever let see her true self, and _**vice versa**_ , until I met you."

The rabbit smiled, gazing at the fox fondly. "You really did love her, didn't you?"

Wilde snapped from his trance. "Oh, obliviously, not as much as I-"

"It's fine that you did," she said, smoothly, "after all, it would be selfish and immature of me to think I was the only woman in your life. Of course you would've had other love interests in the past."

Nick smiled. "Thanks, Hopps."

"So, what happened then?"

"Well," he said, a grin starting to form, "when I asked her what this was all about - the candles and the nightgown and everything - she just smiled and told me I should slip into something more comfortable. I, immature young goof that I was back then, innocently said: 'like what?'. Then she let her gown slip to the floor and she just stood there looking at me, naked, and said: 'like me'." Wilde was silent for a moment, then chuckled. " _Ooh,_ she was a temptress alright."

"I can see why you liked her," Hopps said, quietly.

"Huh. You can see why The Firm liked her too. When they eventually cottoned on to just how good at her job she was - at twisting males 'round her finger - they started finding other jobs to do along those same lines. And it was on one of her, shall we say, more challenging jobs that she first met me."

"Which was?"

"That's another story altogether, Hopps. Let's just say it didn't take long for us to realize what a great team we made together, and for The Firm to personally assign us to one another."

"They assigned you to work together?"

"Yep."

"And was that before or after the two of you, you know, _found_ each other?"

A small smile grew on the fox's muzzle. "If I remember right," he said, softly, "just a few weeks before."

"So," Judy asked, her voice a conspiratorial whisper, "how did it happen? When did you and Scarlett admit you loved each other?"

Nick smirked. "That's yet another story," he said, "and one which we certainly don't have time for right now. We'll be at your place in a minute. Anything else you want to know quick?"

"Yeah: what did she actually do for The Firm, anyway? You mentioned it involved her being something of a temptress, but I don't quite have you down as the type to date a call girl."

"Well you'd be right there, Hopps. Scar could easily have made it as a fille de joie, but she had smarts enough to keep well clear of that kind of thing. No, she found her own little niche to work at."

"Which was?"

Wilde regarded Judy for a moment at a pare of convenient traffic lights. "Do you honestly think I should tell you?"

Hopps turned to face him, her expression radiating nothing but innocence towards him. "Only if you think I should know."

"She was basically a haired girl-on-the-arm. At least, that was her cover. See, The Firm owned a number of high-class casino's back in the day, and it was her responsibility to tend to the wants of all the wealthiest casino-goers. She'd make sure they were supplied with free drinks to lubricate the flow of cash, use her feminine ways to persuade them to play another game or bet a little more, and - if they tried to walk out the building with too much cash - she'd slip them a little piece of card with a name and an adders on it which would lead them to a very 'special' kind of establishment."

"You mean one of... 'those' kinds?"

"A whore house, yes."

"... _right_."

"If she'd done her job right, the wealthy millionaires would be so tanked up on alcohol they'd be straight over to buy themselves some fluff... and _all_ the money her targets had just won would be spent on women and would fall straight back into the Kray's pockets."

Judy shook her head as Nick drove. "One thing that always strikes me about those kinds of criminals, some of them sure did have brilliant minds."

"Yep. While they may never be thought of as anything but crooks, those twins were both geniuses in their own right." Wilde grimaced, shifting in his seat. "And to this day, the thought of those bastards still makes my fur crawl."

As the car rounded the corner and her apartment came into view, the rabbit took in a breath and prepared herself for what she had to say. "Nick," she started, "whatever happens tonight, whether what we do works or doesn't work: you will always be my fox; I will always love you. Even if it goes wrong, and, and we-"

"Honestly, Hopps, what could go wrong?"

Judy sighed. "I wish I was relaxed about this as you are."

"Oh yeah?" the fox chuckled dryly, holding out one of his own paws in front of her nose, startling the rabbit with just how much Nick's paws were shaking too.

Hopps snorted. "But, you seem so relaxed!"

"I'm driving," Nick said, "I've got something to focus on and distract my attention. But, erm... you know," he said, softly," it might hurt you a little. I mean, the first time."

"I know," she said, the edge of nerves strongly about her voice, "they talked about that back in sex ed'. I'm prepared for the fact that our difference in size will cause us some... complications. I'm just a little nervous you won't fit, or it'll hurt like hell, or-"

"Hey, Judy," he said, slipping his paw into her's, "don't worry. I'll take things as slow and as gentle as I can. I'll let it take all night if I must, but I promise you, I will do everything in my power to make this evening as pleasant and painless as I can. You can trust me."

Hopps smiled, taking his warm paw in hers. "I know I can."

Paw in Paw, the fox pulled the car up to a stop in front of Hopps' apartment. The rabbit slipped from the car, winked to the fox, about-turned and started skipping up the steps just outside her apartment door; the fox watching her fluffy, white tail fondly as it swished it's way up the stairs and through the door which clicked shut with the rabbit on the inside.

"Okay, Nick," he said easily to himself, settling down a little in the car seat as he waited for her to return, "maybe you were wrong. Maybe tonight will pan out just fine after all..." A warm smile growing, the fox lent forwards and clicked on the radio.

"I messed up tonight, I lost another fight-"

Wilde winced. "God awful song," he muttered, flicking the radio immediately over.

"-heads held high, touch the sky, you mean everything to-"

"-once more if we don't comply, with the locals wises I-"

"-put that thing back where it came from, or so help me, _so help me_ -"

"-then _woop_ oh lordly I kissed her again because, she had kisses sweeter than wine-"

"-and marriage, love and marriage, go together like a horse and carriage-"

"Good afternoon and welcome to Lord's on the second day of the first test. So far today, we've had five hours batting from Zootopia and already they're naught for naught. Cowdery is not out naught and Naughton is not in. Knott is in and is not not out. Naughton of Northants got a nasty knock on the nut in the nets last night, but it's nothing of note. Next in is Nat Newton of Notts. Not Nutting, Nutting's at nine. Nuttting knockened neatie nightie, knock knock, _kneeck niagh~ ..._ anyway, Zootopia have played extremely well for nothing, not a sausage, in reply to Iceland's first innings total of seven hundred and twenty-two for two declared. Scored yesterday, disappointingly fast, in only twenty-one overs with lots of wild slogging and boundaries and all sorts of rubbishy things. And now Nat Newton of Notts is running up to bowl to Cowdery... he bowls... and no shot at all! Extremely well-not-played there. Yes, beautifully not-done-anything-about. A superb shot of no kind whatsoever. And that's the end of the over, and drinks, so that's all from me at Lord's and now back to the news."

"Thank you. Well, it's six minutes past one and nearly time for seven minutes past one. On ZBC Two, it'll shortly be seven and a half minutes past one. Later on this evening it'll be four o'clock and then at four forty we'll be joining ZBC Four in time for four forty-four. And don't forget tomorrow, when it'll be nine twenty. Those of you who missed eight forty five on Friday will be able to see it again this Friday at a quarter to nine. And now ZBC Radio One, it's time for something completely diffr-"

Nick clicked the radio off once again as the figure of a rabbit caught his attention from the corner of his eyesight. Winding down the window, he called to her as she stumbled unsteadily towards him. "Hey, Hopps," he called, "ready to go?"

Judy continued stepping wordlessly towards him. Her sluggish, step-by-step stumble braining her closer, Nick noticed the wildness of her eyes and the silent formations of words flicking across her lips.

"Hey, Fluff, you look terrible. Something the matter?"

"Bu, but, bur, b, d, dh, dhe-"

"And where's your pills anyway?"

"Dhe, der, drh, derr-"

Nick smiled, nervously. "What, fox got your tongue?"

"der, darh, deard-"

Nick nervous smile turned into simple worry. Undoing his seat belt he slipped from the car and stood to address her. "Fluff, spit it out!"

"Derh, dead!"

Wilde blinked. "...dead?"

"D - dea - dead guy, in... in my flat, my room."

Nick squinted. "Dead guy in your flat...?" The mist cleared suddenly and the fox's face turned startled. Nick hastily crossed to the pavement side and took the rabbit in his arms, leading her unsteadily back towards her apartment.

"Show me, Hopps," he said, leading her swiftly back to her flat, "let me see."

...

On the edge of the city, a low, black car pulled slowly from around the back of a line of old boatbuilding yards. It drew to a gradual stop just beyond the edge of a fenced-off area of harbor. Two blue-uniformed police officers stood guard by the front gate.

"Now this is the main way into the Zootopia docks," came a gruff voice from within.

"But what of the police?" came a soft, Eastern-accented response.

"They'll have to move sooner or later. In the mean time, we stay put."

"But what about the harbormaster? The dog put the hole in your hand?"

"I know the one you mean," he shot, "and don't worry, when my boys turn up, we'll be more than ready to handle him."

"But your boys aren't here yet. What do we do in the mean time?"

"He'll be too busy answering police questions. He won't see us."

"But isn't that him now walking towards us?"

"What? Hell!" Spotting the approaching harbormaster, the driver of the black car leaped into the back seat and hastily covered his face with a wide-rimmed hat. "You, goat," he shot, "in the front!"

Practically being kicked into the drivers seat by the coyote, George, Victor Nyilas rushed to settle himself in the drivers set, trying as quick as he could to make himself appear the driver as a large, shaggy dog lumbered up to the drivers-side window and tapped upon it.

Clearing his throat nervously, Victor wound down the blacked-out window and addressed the overbearing dog. "Can I help?"

"You can't park here, ser. You'll 'ave to move."

"Oh," Nyilas said, slightly shakily, "righto, sorry."

Leaning in towards the window, the black dog flashed his yellowed, barbed teeth to the goat in a wide smile. The goat cringed back just a touch.

"Wha's the matter," Shuck said, "never seen a pedigree before?"

"A pedigree?" Nyilas asked, warily, "a pedigree what?"

"Pedigree mongrel." The black dog chuckled, his only eye glinting with an impression of thinly-veiled malevolence. "Me dad was a mongrel and the bastard son of a bitch; me mar wer the mongrel bitch of a bastard. And if me dad and me mar are both mongrels, that makes me a pedigree, don't it." Shuck grinned, foully.

"Erm... yes," the goat said, smiling pleasantly and very falsely, "quite right, my good mammal."

The black dog regarded Nyilas carefully through his single, sharp eye for a long moment. "Suppose you're wanting to get back to it?"

"Yes thanks."

"Well... you'd best be on your way, then."

"Okay. Cheerio. Erm, lovely to have met you."

The charcoal-black figure of the dog turned and walked away from the car and back towards the Zootopia harbor, nodding towards Officers McHorn and Delgato as he passed them.

* * *

 **Song and Radio references. 1) Zootopia's 'Try Everything'. 2) The Rescuers 'RAS Song'. 3) El Dorardo's 'Let's be Gods'. 4) Monsters Ink. 'Put that thing back'. 5) Jimmie Rodger's 'Kisses Sweeter than Wine'. 6) Frank Sinatra's 'Love and Marriage'.**

 **Lords match and News report - Monty Python's Flying Circus**


	47. …Wastes Nine

**You state your case well, Mister USA Patriot. The offending chapter has been removed, and I shall endeavour to follow more stringently the path of quality over quantity in the future.**

* * *

 ** _'T' minus 170 minutes and counting..._**

A number of large, black bodied flies had entered into Judy's apartment through the slightly open window and had started buzzing busily around the small, simple room.

They buzzed across the small fridge and her microwave, over her small desk, paperwork and the photograph of her mother and father, around the wardrobe, the upturned bed... and onto on the twisted body which lie dead upon the floor, landing their fat bodies on short, stubby legs as they wondered across its bent limbs and vacant face, over its glassy eyes and inside it's gaping, foam-encrusted mouth.

The reek of death hung heavy in the air - the scent of blood and sick. The white foam which had fizzed and bubbled up from inside his lungs had spewed out from his mouth and nose. The white was diluted with clots of red from where the thin tissue of the lungs had been torn and savaged from the inside out, choking the armadillo on his own blood - a slow and painful death indeed.

Footsteps approached slowly from down the corridor, the sounds of voices in accompaniment, clearly audible through the buildings thin walls.

"It's an armadillo, yes?" said a male voice.

"Yeah," said a female, "the landlady's nephew, I think."

"Who, Dharma's?"

"Uh-huh."

The footsteps approached and halted just outside the door. The male spoke: "Well, here we are. Key?"

"The lock's smashed anyway."

"That's how he got in?"

"I don't know. I guess so."

"Interesting. Are you coming too?"

" _Hmm..._ "

"It's okay, Hopps, you wait here."

"No, I should be there with you."

"Well," the fox said dryly, the door handle rattling as he turned it from without, "it's your funereal."

The door swung open and the fox gazed inside. His first reaction to the scene was to flinch back from the ravaged body of the corps and the heavy stench of death, but he forced himself to focus on the situation, and his averted eyes returned and gazed sternly upon the scene, his brow lowered in a grimace.

Judy stepped in beside him and took one fleeting look at the body and the carpet which was coated in blood-clotted sick; then turned hastily away again with a paw rising to her mouth.

Nick turned to her. "You wanna step outside?" he asked, "Get some air?"

"I'll be alright," Judy said, weakly, "I just... need... to-" The rabbit was cut off by sudden and violent gagging. She bent double, a paw clutching at her chest, her face contorting as she fought to hold back the rush of hot liquid she felt race up her throat.

"Come on, Hopps," Nick said, ushering the rabbit hurriedly down the corridor, "the carpet's here may be horribly outdated, but there's no need for you to redecorate."

Judy just groaned, holding a paw over her mouth, stumbling down the corridor but held upright by the fox as they made towards the females' toilets.

Nick pushed the bathroom door open and hurried Judy inside. The rabbit staggered forwards towards a toilet cubicle, cringing severely as her mouth suddenly filled with the unpleasant tang of hot stomach fluid.

The rabbit threw up the toilet seat lid and emptied her stomach into it.

The fox watched as the rabbit hacked up mouthfuls of partly-digested breakfast, her shoulders throwing back as she emptied herself. Tilting his head to one side, a smirk grew as he spoke: "Want me to hold your ears back or something?"

A few seconds later, Hopps' bout of vomiting ended, and she was left kneeling on the floor, just gazing into the regurgitated condense of her stomach and coughing occasionally. "Shut up," she said flatly.

Nick chuckled as he lent over her shoulder. "So, _that's_ how they make carrot smoothly."

Judy took a deep breath and wiped her mouth with a paw. "Enough with the jokes, already. You find this all terribly amusing; I'm aware of that."

"Sorry," Nick said, as though just realizing what he had said. "Sorry, I didn't mean to say that, it's just, well... all this-"

"Brought back old habits?"

"Yeah, bad habits. It's just the way I'm used to dealing with that kind of thing." He put a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry; I didn't mean anything by it."

"Alright, Nick," Judy sighed, standing shakily, "could you fill a sink some with warm water?"

Nick nodded and turned to the taps, pacing towards them as the rabbit gazed into the toilet bowl, holding her troubled stomach as she reached forwards and flushed the chain.

The red fox found a sink which hadn't been vandalized and turned on both taps, putting in the plug and feeling the temperature of the water with the pad of a finger, adjusting the hot and cold until the sink was full with warm, steamy water.

Turning the taps off again, the fox turned as he heard the rabbit approach from behind, stepping forwards concernedly, he placed a paw on her cheek as he looked at her. She looked pail and her eyes were dull, her ears had dropped low behind her and her breaths were long and deep.

"You feeling okay?" he said.

"Better now, much better."

"Still shaky though?"

"Well, yeah. Sorry, I'm just not used to that kind of smell."

"Don't apologize, Hopps. I understand."

Judy blinked up at him wearily. Nick knew, she needed to rest. She needed to sit down, have a cool drink, and something good to eat - particularly after losing as much of her stomach as that - but right now, there was something the fox needed to do more than provide for his rabbit companion: he had to know if this was murder, and if this in any way put _his_ partner in danger. Something about the way he had came in was bothering him.

The fox drew his paw from the rabbit's cheek and made towards the door.  
"Nick?"

"Stay here," he said. "Clean yourself up, have a drink and take a breather. I'm gonna check out the body."

"Wait, I'll come with you."

"You will not," he said, turning, his voice stern enough to stop her instantly. Wilde held her gaze intently for a moment, and then his expression dropped into a soothing smile. "Judy," he said, "stay here; let me check things out."

"But-"

"And if you really can't bare to be out of the action for even a few minutes, then get in touch with Bogo, okay?"

Judy stared after the fox as he disappeared out the door. It had been a long time since he last used that tone of voice on her, and she knew better than to ignore it.

...

Wilde stepped fearlessly into Judy's small apartment room. His nose wrinkled at the heavy smell but he pressed uncaring on, driven by fear and fury - fear that Judy could in some way be a target in all this; fury that her safety might have been brought into jeopardy.

His pace slowing as he approached, the fox drew level with the body. Wilde gazed down, trying not to breathe too deeply of the putrid, almost sweet yet very sickly scent in the air.

Stepping over the body of the armadillo, he pulled up the window fully, taking up one of Judy's pillows and swiping it through the air until most of the flies had left.

 _Well,_ he thought, _time to get started I guess._

Nick knelt down beside the corps and his eyes traced along its cold, stiff body. He reached out and tried to turn its head with his paw, finding the joints of the neck stiff. He reached lower and lifted its paw, and found his arms and fingers just as ridged. Reaching lower still, the fox tried to move the corps' foot. Nick's brow rose. The body's foot moved freely.

 _So,_ Nick reasoned, _rigor mortis has started to take affect but it hasn't yet reached the victim's feet. That means he must've died sometime this morning - earlier and his arms wouldn't be stiff yet; later he'd be stiff right through. Can't see any apparent injuries, bruises, stabs or anything, just the foam around his mouth._ Nick lent towards the victims mouth, cringing back from the repugnant odour. _Murder or not_ he thought, _it's definitely 'fowl' play. Now, jokes aside, this guy was killed with an overdose for sure, but an overdose of what?  
_  
There was a split bag of white powder resting on the floor by the body's foot. The fox lifted it with a cautious claw and looked at the fine, white powder within it.

Glancing over his shoulder out of the door, his ears in tune with the corridor as he checked Judy was not about to return, the fox turned back to the bag, lightly dabbed the pad of his smallest finger into it, and raised it to his snout. Nick looked at it gingerly for a moment, then parted lips he took it into his mouth.

It tasted of nothing for a few moments, and then it hit his tongue. Then came a stingy, salty taste which slowly started to grow in intensity. Wilde rolled his tongue. He only took a tiny amount – far too little to do any damage or give him a high – but even that little amount was already making his tongue number.

"It's cocaine, alright," he murmured, "not a bad batch, either." His brow lowered as he rolled his tong over his teeth. It had been quite some time since he'd last tasted something like that, and this batch was a _very_ good quality batch, after all.

 _Surely_ , _just a little dab more couldn't hurt? Just for old time's sake?_

Slowly, the fox reached out a second time. The door swung open. Judy stepped in. Nick drew his hand sharply back as though he'd been burnt. Judy didn't appear to notice, too busy adjusting her radio as she came in beside him.

"I phoned Bogo," she said, "he's ordering the officers he posted at the docks to come over here and investigate. How's everything looking so far?"

"Fine," Nick said.

"...in what way is finding a corps in my bedroom 'fine'?"

"Well, I... I mean-"

"Nick," she said, sternly, "what's wrong?"

The fox stood and walked across to her as she stood in the doorway, glancing up and down the corridor before stepping back inside. Judy checked about herself slowly, self consciously, as the fox's apparent concern made her own fear grow in response.

"What's wrong?" she said again, softer.

"It's just not right."

"I know it's not right, Nick, there's a dead guy in my flat." Judy stepped forwards and took the fox's hand, tugging it towards her, as though pulling Nick's attention down whit it.

"Tell me."

"It doesn't make sense."

"What doesn't?"

"The body, if it came up for privacy, then why choose the second floor? Why not the roof or the basement?"

Judy stepped in a little more, no longer on the point of retching but still desiring not to get too close to the corps. "How do you mean?"

Nick lent back against the wall, watching the rabbit as she stepped in. "Well, let's just take a step back for a sec' and look at what we do know. The nephew of the lady who owns this place decides he wants a cocaine high, takes a little too much, and has an overdose."

"Well," Judy said, indicating the white powder split across the room and the bulges of other packets in the victims pockets, "there's hardly a little."

"Which brings me to my first point. This guy just seems to have far too much for him to be a user."

"You're saying he's a dealer?"

"And dealers themselves don't tend to be heavy users - they know too well the damage it can cause."

"Okay, but what are you saying?"

Nick crossed his arms. "Just, for the moment, assuming that it was his intention to take some drugs himself: what reason does that give him to come up here to your apartment?"

"To get a little privacy, I guess."

"Agreed. So, why come here? To the second floor? Why not the ground floor, or the top floor even? I mean, hell, being the landlady's nephew, he could easily have gotten hold of a set of keys and gone right up to the roof!"

"So, what you're saying is, he chose this room for a reason?"

"Well, what else could it be?"

"I don't know, Nick," Judy said, "perhaps it's just coincidence."

"But he had to choose your door? This particular door out of all the doors on this floor?"

"Again," said she, "he had to use one of the flats. Maybe he knew I was an officer and so knew I wouldn't be back for a good few hours - so used my room knowing he wouldn't be disturbed."

"But don't you see? That's just it! He must know you're the famous Judy Hopps who saved Zootopia - he must do - and he must also know that this was your room when he chose it. So, why intentionally choose the room of a famed police officer?"

"I guess, but-"

"And, going back to his having keys, that's another point."

"How?"

Nick raised his eyebrows. "...you just think about that yourself, Hopps. You're more than bright enough to figure it out for yourself, but you need to stop denying that something's, well... something's a little suspect~"

Judy's voice dropped to a frantic whisper. "I still don't know you're getting at(!)"

"Yes, you, _do._ "

Judy scowled. "You're asking me to believe it's murder?"

"I'm asking you to acknowledge the facts."

"Alright," Judy said, "if this is the landlady's nephew then why did he go to the trouble of breaking the door open when he could've just nicked her keys when she wasn't looking and just strolled right in. I get that, okay?"

"Now, go take a look at the door," Nick prompted.

Judy breathed a sharp, frustrated breath. This elaborate story was getting on her nerves. She wasn't prepared to admit, even to herself, that she was getting angry because she was starting to see what he was saying - but was too fearful to let herself accept it.

Judy stepped pasted the fox and turned to face the door. She shut it, pulled it open - not needing to turn the doorhandle as the latch had been broken - and leaned in close to the lock of the door. She looked at the side, reached out a paw, and ran her hand down the edge; feeling where it had been misshaped by a heavy impact.

"Well," she said, "the locks are smashed, the doorhandles broken, and the wood's had such a heavy hit it's been misshaped to the point of almost being smashed."

"Now, does this sound like the work of an armadillo to you?"

Judy's nose started to twitch; she was silent for a long moment. "No," she said at last. "No, this was done by somemammal quite a bit larger and stronger than an armadillo."

"Something quicker and more deadly too."

"How can you be sure?"

"Armadillos may not be particularly strong, but they are heavy and cumbersome creatures. Whatever brought him up here must've been pretty strong and fast to grab him without a fight."

Judy covered her eyes with a paw, turning and pacing slowly out of the door. "And it's proven that it's not just an overdose?" she said, traces of fear starting to appear in her voice.

Nick followed her. "I've always followed the rule that it's best to prepare for the worst."

"Yeah," Hopps said, "but you always were a cynic."

Nick sighed at seeing Judy still in denial. "A cynic is just what an idealist calls a realist."

Judy turned back to face him, a small, cold light in here eyes. "So, we're going to believe it is murder, just in case it is?"

Nick knew the expression. He paced towards her, slowly, and put his large paws tenderly on her shoulders. "Don't be scared, Judy," Nick said, "we've been through worse in the past."

"Yeah, but back then they were only after us because we were directly in their way. Now you're saying I'm being headhunted? That they're trying to a... assa~" Judy trailed off, frightened beyond being able to say it.

"Assassinate," Nick cut in."

Judy's fearful expression rose swiftly to meet Nick's gaze, her nose twitching; her eyes wet.

The fox sighed again - now regretting that Judy _wasn't_ in denial.

"Nick," Hopps said, her voice very small and meek, "what would've happened, if I hadn't been round yours last night? Where would I be now, if we didn't figure things out between us in time?"

Nick blinked as he tried to hold back his emotions. "If that was the case, Hopps," he said, "you would've been tucked up in your little bed when whomever did this struck."

"And then?"

"Well..." Nick cleared his throaty, the thoughts of what might have been as well as the rabbit's shaken expression causing him to choke up. "Well, I wouldn't have a partner anymore and instead of investigating the murder of a drugs peddler, I'd be investigating the rabbicide... of an officer of the ZPD."

"If this really was an attempt on my life, who organized it? Will they try again? What do we do?"

"I don't know," Nick muttered.

"But, Nick," Judy stepped in closer to her fox, drowning her fears in the reassuring warmth and musk of his fur and sweet scent as she put her arms around him. "What... what if they come for you next?"

"I don't _know_ , Hopps," Nick said again, actively holding back threatening tears as he pulled the rabbit tighter against himself in fearful frustration. "Really, I don't. But we're going to get through this," the fox said, "the two of us together: we'll make it, you'll see. You don't have anything to fear," he said, though he knew he was lying, "it'll all pan out fine then end, Jules, you'll see."

"As a team?" Judy said.

"As a team."

Judy sighed and stepped back from the reassuring embrace. "Okay," she said, "what's the next step?"

"Well," Nick said, breathing deeply as he calmed himself, "that largely depends on you."

"Why me?"

"I didn't think you'd like what I want to do."

"Which would be?"

"Judy," he said earnestly, dropping onto one knee, "you life may have just been brought into danger - direct danger I mean. If there's somemammal out there who has it in for you, I... I want to take you home and hide you under the sheets."

"Nick..." Judy squinted, "this isn't innuendo, is it?"

"At a time like this? No, Hopps, it isn't. It's just," Nick grunted, "It's all I've wanted to do all day - take you home and hide you; protect you. I don't know how, but I knew something like this was gonna happen."

"Knew? What do you mean?"

"I don't know, Judy. There's a lot I don't know right now."

"You don't know? Then how come you're so convinced?"

"Again, I've got nothing apart from my gut reaction."

"So, what are you saying we do? Run and hide? From shadows?"

His gaze fell. "...I don't know."

Judy looked at her fox. He was troubled, clearly, and apparently more worried for her safety then even she was. She stepped forwards and took his paw in hers, waiting for his gaze to rise from the floor to her again before she spoke.

"Hey," she said, her voice soft but cracking a little around the edges - sad and worried, but trying to do her best for the sake of her partner - "come on, Nick, we've got an important job to do."

Still holding Judy's hand, the fox raised a paw and placed it on her cheek. Without a word, he lent forwarsd and pressed his lips delicately against hers and held them there until the rabbit's lips moved in return.

Nick held the kiss for a long time. He savored long this perfectly simple and simplistically perfect act of passion - of love - knowing, as he did, that the moment the kiss ended it would be back to work for the two of them - and all the fear and the pain that came with it.

Pushing himself firmer against the rabbit's lips, Wilde relented, and gazed fondly at his partner. "So," he said, smoothly, "what now? What do we do and where do we go from here?"

"What can we do, really, other than follow our orders?"

"The warrant for Bogo is still your first priority?"

"For the moment... it has to be." The rabbit's face closed on Nick's and she nuzzled his cheek genitally with her nose. "Overall though, _you_ will always be the most important thing in my life."

A warm smile grew on the fox's lips. "You're saying I'm just a 'thing' to you now?"

Judy grinned at him as she stepped away. "Nick," she said, sweetly, "as much as I'd _love_ to stay here and make jokes - maybe _make_ something else too - if we don't get on with this warrant then Bogo won't have a raid and we won't have a job."

Nick thought on the facts that Judy had said... then the reality of the situation returned to Nick's mind. They were stood in Judy's apartment, with a dead body which, if it was not for him and where she had slept last night, could be Judy's.

 _The corps should be Judy..._

The thought entered Nick's mind like a cloud of ash - silent and slow moving, but as deadly as poison and as paralyzing as death. Cold as ice and harsh as sin, the revelation hammered into Nick's soul. Hammer into Anvil, it left him without thought and without emotion, as he stared, in his minds eye, at the corps of a small rabbit, laying in a pool of blood on the floor.

Beside him, unaware of what he was thinking, Judy forced herself to chuckle lightly as she tried to brighten the mood. "Well," she said, "if nothing else, I'd better go get some food. I need something to take away sick away, and if we've gotta go to a raid later, I'd better be at my best."

Nick stood motionless, staring at the body as though he didn't hear.

Biting on her lip, the rabbit silently turned and started to make from the room.

Nick's ear twitched as she stepped through the door, then his paw shot out and stopped her, grabbing her by her wrist. "Hopps!"

Judy turned back. "What?"

The fox pointed a black claw at her. "You are not going _anywhere_ on your own today, Missie. If something's going to happen to you, it's gonna happen to **_me_** first."

Judy stared at her fox, struck by the animalistic, almost passionate fury she could see in his eyes - fury at whoever might try to harm her - and the tips of his canines which peeped out from beneath his ever-so-slightly snarling muzzle.

"Come on," he said, taking her arms, "let's go."

A shiver ran down her spine as he took her arms and started pushing out the door. He wasn't gentle - just strong and _so_ masterful - and the rabbit hated herself for every inch of excitement it gave her, every ounce of enjoyment she received from being handled like that; every degree Fahrenheit of heat that built up in between her legs.

 _Fluffing Heat,_ she scolded to herself as she stumbled down the corridor, _your life could be in danger, someone was murdered in your flat, all Nick wants to do is protect you and all_ you _can do is get aroused!_

A small, sick part of Judy's mind couldn't help but find it amusing; a small part of Judy's mind that was finding her partner just _so_ sexy right now.

 _Oh stop it! Why didn't I take those pills when I had the chance?_


	48. Old Habits New Beliefs

_**'T' minus 150 minutes and counting...**_

The fast food store was small and overcrowded. Its walls were painted in off-color whitewash, and the floor paneled with sheets of imitation tile. The furniture was basic and shoddy, the food ill prepared and under-cooked, and the staff each looked as though they were sitting on twenty years constipation - their faces set in a low scowl.

The hygiene of the place was adequate but no more than that, and the atmosphere was more fitting of a famine relief center than a diner.

The building was cold and uncomfortable and not at all like the comforting warmth of Joe's Place where Nick had taken Judy four days prior.

Judy didn't mind though, as she pushed open the door and stepped inside. She knew that the situation now was more then a little different than it had been before - that this was just a quick fix for the necessity for food, rather than an attempt by Nick to woo her with a meal as it was last time.

Judy had come here only a few time in the past year, despite the fact it was only a short walk down her road. The fact that it was cheap and near wasn't nearly enough to make her a regular user, for the service was grim and the food grimmer.

The bell clinked behind her again as Nick stepped through. The rabbit turned and looked up toward him, but the fox was too busy glancing around at all the other users of the eatery to notice.

"Go take a seat, Hopps," he said, "in the corner if you can but not against a window. I'll order you something."

Judy nodded and made her way to an empty table, obeying him without question. It surprised her just how seriously he was taking this. Then she started to wounder why _she_ wasn't.

 _Is this really how much danger I'm in right now?_ she thought as Nick started talking to the pig who was frying sausages behind the counter.

The fox took the salad burger proffered to him a moment later and paced back across the floor, sitting down opposite Judy at the square, white table.

"Here," he said, passing it over.

Judy stared down at the soggy burger, then lifted the top piece of bread with an uncertain paw, and gazed at the four pieces of cabbage leaf and one piece of sliced tomato within.

Sighing, she lowered the burger top, picked it up in both paws, braced herself, and started to eat. "I'm not sure we have time for this, Nick," she said between mouthfuls.

"That doesn't matter, Hopps, just eat. You need your strength."

"But it's half past one. We've only got about two and a half hours left. You sure we've got time for this?"

Nick regarded her with a simple smile. "Our orders are to break in, undetected, to an industrial establishment which could just be the drug den of a gang of criminal operatives. Said operative have already committed at least one murder, probably more, burnt down a building, splashed around more drugs in Zootopia in one week then there's been in the last decade _and_ they could be the reason for the guy in your bedroom... and they could make another attempt at your illiterately _any_ moment."

Judy's chewing slowed to a stop.

"Then," Nick continued, "after dealing with that little adventure, it's of to a fleeting trip to the ZPD, where we gear up in tactical armor for nothing short of a _raid_ on this building full of murderous drug runners. We have no idea of what kind of munitions these guys have, but if there prepared at all for our coming, it could turn very nasty and very, very fatal for a lot of officers. So tell me, dear sweet Carrots mine..."

The rabbit's gaze slowly rose; the crack of a smile crossed the fox's lips.

"...do you really want to do all that on an empty stomach?"

Hopps stared blankly at the tabletop for several long seconds. Her expression motionless, she pondered deeply on the fox's comment. A leaf of salad slipped out of her role and flopped damply onto the plate. Judy blinked, then took in a breath. "Okay," she said, "fair comment."

Nick grinned as Judy returned to her eating, leaning back in his chair, craning his head around to look about himself but keeping his manner calm and uncaring, as though he had no real interest in keeping check of what was going on around him.

Judy's gaze rose subtlety, watching the fox without his knowing with her wide angle of vision. A casual onlooker might think he was just taking a relaxed glance around at the seineary, particularly with that smirk he was wearing, but Judy knew better.

More than anything, she recognized that _kind_ of smirk: it was the one he always wore when he was in fear or doubt, but didn't want any onlooker to know. It was his 'don't let them see that they get to you' face; one which Judy knew all too well.

The door's bell clinking dully behind him, Nick's head shot around like an elastic band to check the mammal who came in.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"Just keeping a wry eye on the horizon."

"Huh. Poetic."

"I suppose you think it's unnecessarily cautious of me?"

Judy said nothing, but took another bight.

"Well, let me tell you, Hopps," the fox said, his gaze turning intently to the rabbit, "if you had seen what I have seen, you wouldn't think it overkill. If you had any idea how quickly - how instantly - a professional killer could snatch away your life, you would want me checking the pockets of every mammal in here for so much as a penknife. You _need_ me at my most cautious."

The fox sat forwards, steadily. "Now, I'm not calling myself the greatest Officer in the ZPD or anything like that, but in matters like this, it's experience counts, and I am the only mammal - the _only_ mammal - who understand just how much alertness and care is needed to handle situations like this. None of the Officers truly understand what this kind of operation is capable of. They can't protect you - not quick enough or efficiently enough to keep you alive at any rate - only _I... can protect you._ "

Judy blinked up at the fox, her food all but forgotten. "Even Bogo? I thought it was practically his work alone which ended The Firm?"

"It was. And it is true that to catch a villain you have to think like a villain, and to that extent Bogo is very apt at understanding how a criminal mind works... but I lived it, Hopps. For over five years, I _lived it._ "

After a pause, a guilty smile grew on Hopps' lips. "Is it wrong I'm finding that a huge turn-on right now?"

"Not at all," Nick said, "a lot of women find can find 'danger' very attractive in a male. It's a natural reaction, I think. At least..." he added, sending a wry gaze her way... "it _would_ be natural, if you were a predator."

A sultry smile grew on Hopps' face. "You're saying there's a little bit of predator inside me?"

Nick grinned. "Well, if there wasn't before, there certainly will be _later tonight_..."

"You mean, a little of you inside me?

" _Ohh,_ yeah."

A smug smile broke on the rabbit's face. "So... just how 'little' are we talking here?"

Nick's face fell. "N- no! I mean, like, in a-"

Hopps' giggled. "Walked right into that one, didn't ya?"

His expression froze for an instant, then a small grin grew upon the fox's expression and he crossed his arms playfully. "You planned it? It was a trap?"

"Yep. And you walked right into it."

Nick chuckled and opened his mouth to retort, but then there was a sudden cracking sound across the other side of the room and Nick's head immediately turned to look.

A moment later, satisfied that it was just the sound of a dropped plate hitting the floor and not a gunshot, the fox's had drew back to gazing out the window, over the rabbit's head.

"Good spot you picked," he said, Judy still eating (though without much relish), "we're a good distance from the door an any windows, but from here I can still keep an eye on things. We're flanked on one side by wall, and directly behind us is the fire-door out. Good job."

"I'm sorry," Judy said, "the fire door helps us how?"

"Well... if a crazed drug runner should happen to suddenly burst in here, we can make a get-away before he has the chance to fire off more than a couple of shots."

"Jeez. I just picked this one 'cause it was relatively clean. I didn't conciser it from a tactical point of view." Her gaze rose nervelessly. "Was I supposed to? Is that much thought necessary?"

"No, Hopps, not at all. It's just a habit I picked up from my time with The Firm."

"Do you always conciser a plan of action for what you'd do if you were suddenly attacked?"

Wilde chuckled. "Used to, Hopps, many years ago. No, it's just recent developments which has brought back that habit."

"It's a pretty old habit, huh?"

"Yeah. Old habits, but new beliefs."

"New beliefs? So, is that 'habits' as in routine or, like, what monks wear?"

Nick sat back in his chair slowly, sending a sweeping gaze out of the windows as a small group of mammals paced by.

"There was a time when I lived each day as it came. I had no plans for the future, and all I cared about was staying alive day to day. Now, I have you to believe in, and I have a bright future to look forwards to, rather than just another day conning people or subverting the law. It's surprising, actually."

"What is?"

"The strength it can give you. When I know I'm fighting for my life, it gives me a charge, you know?"

"Uh-huh."

"Now I know I'm fighting for more than just _my_ life; I'm fighting for your life, for the sake of your family... for our future together. It gives you a strength, when you really believe in what you're fighting for, which can't be easily matched. I would say it's a good thing, but..."

"What?"

"I'm not sure how to put this, Hopps. I mean, when you're living on your nerves, it gives you energy, sure, but it's paper thin; there's nothing beneath it. It can only last so long before it burns out, and then you're left with nothing. It's addictive too, like an adrenaline high or cocaïne."

Judy looked on thoughtfully as she finished her mouthful, not noticing the fox's expression as a look of strong anxiety played out across his face. The rabbit did look up, however, as he cleared his throat uncomfortably.

The fox as he scratched at his nose, distractedly. "I wasn't actually planning on telling you this, Hopps," he said, "but I guess a part of this new belief system I've got myself following is absolute honesty to you, so it seems."

Nick watched as Judy put down her food, apparently with no stomach for any more, to listen fully to him. The fox sighed. "When I was investigating the body just now, I wanted to find out exactly what he'd overdosed on. So, I dabbed my paw in a little of the powder, and tasted it while you were still in the bathrooms."

"Well, that's fine, Nick. You were just doing your job in trying to find out-"

"Wait, Hopps, there's more. This batch was of an especially good quality - pure and expencive - and it had been so long since I last tasted it or had felt the high it can give you, I wanted just to try a little more."

"So you're saying what? You were tempted?"

Nick nodded. "Cocaïne has got a funny way of making you want it. You know it's bad for you - I've seen what it can do first hand many times - and yet, when you're sat there with some staring you in the face, you just want to take some, regardless of the risk. I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't come in when you did. I might've taken a dab more, a little more after that. Heck, I might've even snorted some before you got back. I don't know what might've happened, but if things had got out of hand, I could have wound up back in rehab. I wouldn't have taken enough to overdose like that armadillo, but I certainly wouldn't've be in any position to protect you."

Judy pushed her plate aside, reached forwards slowly, and took the fox's paws in hers. "Nick, thank you for telling me this. It means a lot to me to know you trust me enough to let me help you when you need it."

"Well," Nick said, "I figured after last time, when you nearly broke my arm, it was best I just let you know when something was the matter. There's no real direct risk now, but I just wanted you to know."

Judy's ear twitched. "Wait, did you say you've been in rehab?"

Nick sat back slowly, still holding the rabbit's paws in his, speaking after a pause. "Do you want to know what got me off that old path of belief? Stopped me thinking only about the now - no plans for the future - and only how to survive 'til the next day?"

"Go on, Nick. Tell me."

"Well, I'm sorry to say this, but it wasn't you. You are still the best thing to happen to my life - you know how much better you've made things for me - but that was just the most recent step in the evolution of how I came to be the fox I am today."

Just listened intently, her ears upright and ready. From what Judy could tell, she was about to receive a new, deeper understanding of Nick's past then she had been as yet privy to, and she was not going to miss a single detail.

"You're right: I have been in rehab. When me and Scar were working together, we often used to-"

"Hopps, Wide!" both mammals turned with a start as the door was pushed open, the form of McHorn stepping inside, "we've been looking for you. Your orders are to report any findings to us, and then to go to your next assignment. Time is short, so let's get a move on, shall we?"

Judy turned back to Nick with an apologetic smile; Nick returned with an easygoing shrug as he stood.

"Sorry," she said, softly.

"Not your fault, Hopps. I'll tell you later."

The two mammals stepped past McHorn who held the door open for them, the large mammal gazing uncertainly at the table Nick and Judy had been sharing. He couldn't be sure, but: _were the two of them... holding paws...?_


	49. Growing Shadows

**_'T' minus 148 minutes and counting..._**

Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde stood beneath the growing shadows of Grand Pangolin Arms, the block of flats where the rabbit lived. Before them, stood Officers McHorn and Delgato, their notepads at the ready as they scribbled down the last of the notes as Judy spoke:

"And then Nick and I came down for some food to help me recover after throwing up, and that's the whole story so far."

"So you haven't told the next of kin yet?"

"No, sir, that didn't seem wise until backup arrived."

"Okay," Delgato said, "we'll get Fangmeyer and Trunkaby onto that once we've finished looking around."

"I think the first thing to ascertain," McHorn said, "is when exactly the mammal died."

"He died sometime this morning," Nick said.

McHorn and Delgato turned to him, slowly. "We'll just let the coroner decide that, shall we Wilde."

"Well... if you don't think you can trust yourself to judge right," Nick said, shrugging.

A grim light lit up in Delgato's eyes; a light of realization suddenly appeared in Judy's.

"Wait," she said, "if you're all here, who's guarding the port?"

The rhino snorted. "This may surprise you, Hopps," he said, making the rabbit's eye twitch in frustration, "but round here, murder is considered to be a little more important than watching over some dock."

Nick glanced down at his short partner, looking for and spotting the frustrated twitch in her expression. _Even after a year on the force,_ he thought, _she still gets the piss taken out of her._ He turned back to the rhino. "I doesn't surprise us," he said, flatly, "it's just we assumed two _experienced_ officers such as yourself could manage here without the help of two other officers to boot."

"Bogo assigned the four of us to investigate," McHorn shot back, "it wasn't our decision, just what the Chief thought necessary."

"Ooh," Nick said, now allowing sarcasm to enter his words, "so the Chief assigned four of you? Well, that's intrusting. Funny how he feels like he needs the four of you just to check out a corps - unlike, say, Hopps and myself - who he's entrusted with breaking into a criminal hideout all on our own..."

The two larger mammals shared a glance. "The old harbourmaster's on the lookout anyway," Delgato said, knowing Nick well enough to realize that trading comebacks would only make him look the fool.

"Not that _that_ old creep'll be much use of trouble comes," McHorn added, chuckling.

"How do you mean?" Hopps said.

"What is he," Delgato said, "seventy? Eighty something? Hardly what you'd call ship shape anymore, no matter what his job is."

"Are you kidding me?" Nick said, incredulously, "that guys sharper than a Gieves & Hawkes suit and hardier than a killer whale."

"That old timer? Nah, he's way past his sell-by date."

"Alright," Nick said, "if that's what you want to think."

"It's not what I think," Wilde, "it's what I _know_. Now, the rundown, and make it quick."

"Well," Hopps said, stepping forwards, "while there's no real concrete evidence at this time, there are definitely a few oddities."

"Such as?" McHorn said, uninterestedly.

"Well," Hopps said, "when we first went up, Nick – I mean, Officer Wilde – spotted that the door had been broken open rather than smashed. But the victim is related to the landlady and would have been able to access the keys, giving rise to the question as to why he bothered breaking in rather than just unlocking the door."

The larger Officers were silent for a moment. "What, that's it?"

"Isn't that enough? It doesn't make sense!"

"So you're saying what, this was a direct attempt on your life?"

"Possibly, yeah! If he really break in this morning, that means I would've been there when he came if I hadn't spent the night in Nick's bed."

"…in Wilde's bed?" McHorn repeated.

"Oh, erm, did I… did I say bed just then? I meant, erh, bench. Yeah, he has a bench in his living room, I slept on that. Not in his bed."

"Wait!" Hopps called, "There's more!"

"I'm sure if there's anything to find," McHorn called back, "we'll find it, Hopps. You may be Bogo's favourite," he muttered to himself, "but you're not the only Officer on the force, bunny."

"Just one more thing," Nick called to the Officers' backs, "just promise me you'll at least tell Bogo that Hopps and I think it _could_ be something out. Promise me you'll just _tell_ him!"

"Sure, Wilde," Delgato called back, "whatever you say."

The two larger mammals paced chuckling up the last few steps, pulled open the door, and disappeared inside.

"...bastards."

Nick turned with a slight chuckle to the rabbit. "Hey," he said, "watch the language, Cottontail."

"They just are though," she shot, her voice quiet but low, her paws clenched in a fist.

"Arh, they're just jealous," he said, soothingly slipping his hand around one of Judy's tight paws.

"Yeah," Judy said, softer, her clenched paws slackening as she moved to hold the fox's paw in her's, "I just hope they're open to the idea. Even I wasn't open to it until you pretty much forced me to be."

"Yeah..." he sighed... "me too."

"Hey, what's the matter?"

"I still feel edgy about this whole thing. I can't help but think you should be in protective custody or something."

"Come on, Nick," Hopps said, "we're _cops._ This is what we _do_. If we ran for cover and hid every time we faced a little danger, we'd never have got this far as Officers, let alone a team."

"But the plan I have... it should work fine if we pull it off, but it doesn't exactly free us from danger."

"So... what is this plan of yours, anyway?"

"I still haven't got all the kinks worked out yet..." Nick turned down the small form of the rabbit... "but I'm sure we can figure it out. For now, let's just get to the cruiser; I'll explain on the drive over."

...

Inside the head office of the ZPD HQ, Chief Bogo sat smartly before his large desk, gazing down at the schematics of a building, drawing arrows and circles on the sheet with a red marker pen as he planned out various tactics.

He sat back from map, slowly, as he took in his current plan of action. After a moment, he grunted, picked up the page, screwed it up, and tossed in into a bin heaped with screwed up paper.

Sitting forwards, the Chief buzzed the intercom. "Clawhauser, another blueprint, now."

"A - another? That's gonna be your thirtieth sheet!"

"Don't worry," Bogo grunted, sarcastically, "the Mayor has given the ZPD a very generous budget since we saved his career… and the city, though we all know that was of secondary importance to him."

"It's not the budget, sir, it's the wood!"

"The wood?"

"The poor wood getting thrown away."

"…Claw, the wood does not have feelings. Nor do they have a union, so they can't go on strike."

"Sir, I'm a member of the Royal National Tree Preservation Society, sir," Clawhauser said, firmly, "and I will not stand idle while five thousand miles of raw forest land is dug up and harvested each day. This paper stands for our roots, and we must all fight together to protect it!"

Bogo stared blankly at the intercom for a long moment... then his shoulders slumped, and the buffalo raised a hoof and started rubbing his eyes. "Then how about this," he said, softly, "for every piece of paper I use, I'll plant three trees somewhere."

"Oh... okay, sir, I'll be right over."

"Good. Glad to hear it." Then Bogo exploded into shouting. " _Because for every second I wait, I burn down three thousand miles of forest,_ _ **with non-renewable fuel sources!**_ "

The next sound Bogo heard over the intercom was the sound of Clawhauser's chair spinning from where he had leapt off in his haste to get to the printers.

The intercom buzzed; Bogo pressed answer with a hoof.

 **"What!?"  
**  
"Bogo, sir?"

 _"Yes."_

"This is Officer McHorn, reporting from the fatality at-"

"I know where you are. What have you found?"

"Nothing we didn't expect to see."

"Have you informed the auntie yet?"

"Fangmeyer is attending to Dhirma as we speak, sir."

"How has she taken it?"

"She was in denial to start with, and then she started to break down into tears."

"Do they ever do anything else?" Bogo muttered.

"No, sir."

The Chief smiled, grimly. "Alright, so what about this corps?"

"Overdose, sir, clear as day. Judging by the rigor mortis, _I_ would estimate he broke in and died sometime this morning. Clearly, he was trying to get out of the public eye while he indulged in his addiction."

"Officer McHorn," Bogo said, "is there any indication at all this might be murder?"

On the other side of the receiver, McHorn smiled. "No, sir... none at all."

"You're quite sure?"

"There is no doubt in my mind, sir."

"But if he broke in early that morning, surely Officer Hopps would have been there when he came?"

"No, sir, apparently she was sleeping around-"

"Wilde's. Yes, I know. But the armadillo who broke in didn't know. For all he knew, she would have been asleep in the bed. Is this not so?"

"I, erm… clearly he must have come in later than that."

"And what of Hopps and Wilde? Do they concur?"

There was an instant of silence. "There is no doubt in my mind... sir."

Bogo stared for a long moment at the receiver, a warning sign flagging up in his mind - something he had learnt in his days as a detective, long before he'd become Chief of the ZPD.

"Good to know," Bogo said at last, his voice perfectly natural, "for a while, I was worried the gang might have found out Hopps and Wilde were key players in this investigation and had tried to take care of them. I glad to hear you say this isn't the case. Good work, McHorn, I will certainly ensure it's clear in my report that it was _you_ who assured me things were fine..."

"Thank you, sir," McHorn said gratefully, apparently missing the subtle threat in Bogo's words, "I'll certainly do my best to get-"

Bogo ended the call with a large hoof. He sat there for a long moment

"Hopps and Wilde?" he muttered, " _'No doubt'_ , my arse."

Leaning towards the phone, he entered a number swiftly and picked up the receiver. It rang twice, then was answered. "Jack, where are you?"

"I thought it best to pull back in my observations a little," came a smooth voice in reply, "I'm pulled up in the car just a few blocks up from Hopps' apartment."

"Okay, what's that music?"

"Erh, what music?"

"Are... are you at a lap dancing bar, Jack?"

" _No,_ sir! They're, erm... it's just the music coming out of the car I'm stopped next to."

Bogo snorted. "Well," he said, tersely, "as soon as you've finished being parked next to a car playing 'The Striper', I want you back on Hopps' and Wilde's tales. Close pursuit."

"Close pursuit?" said Jack, "Why take that risk?"

"There's an inkling of doubt in my mind that this drug gang may have somehow discovered their close involvement in this case. If this is so, there may be attempts made on their lives, and I want you ready to step in and control the situation."

"Alright, what have you found to give you that doubt?"

"There's not the time for that now, Jack. The pare should be leaving for Erkin even as we speak."

"Just a sec', do I follow them inside Erkin?"

"That is what I am asking, yes."

"And what do I say if there is an attempt and they want an explanation as to why I'm there?"

Bogo chuckled, dryly. "We don't employ you to do _all_ the thinking for you, Jack. You'll just have to come up with something on your own."

"Understood, sir, I'll be right on it."

"No rush, Jack, finish your drink first. Bloody Mary, is it?"

"Oh, thanks Cheif. Yeah, it's a nice... _I mean_ , I only have a Bloody Mary because when you said Bloody Mary, I thought you meant it in the same way, like, as a teacher would use a golf ball to putt a, like, school book into an oven for the Mary Institude of Bloody... like, the Bloody Mary Celeste, or-"

Bogo smiled, delicately placing the phone back on the hook as Jack's attempted excuses continued.

...

Nick Wilde pulled the car smoothly around the bend as he drove the police cruiser gradually closer to the headquarters of Erkin Electrical Enterprises, driving on through the slowly growing shadows as the sun slowly edged down the towards the horizon.

In the passenger seat, Judy sighed heavily. "How much longer 'til we get there?" she asked, again."

"About five minutes."

"Okay."

"But we'll need a little time to dash into the clothes store, don't forget."

"Alright," Hopps said, breathing deeply, her nerves on edge, "okay, you confident it'll work?"

"It'll work just as well as any other plan. It's unlikely I know, but I've always found if you make yourself ludicrously oblivious - if you take it far enough - it comes back full circle, and people kinda stop believing you're doing what you cleanly actually _are_ doing."

Judy sighed, her eyes fixed on the fox. "And you're sure you can keep them completely distracted?"

"Keeping mammals distracted," he said, smugly, "just so happens to be my number one forte, my little rabbit mine, as you well know."

Her gaze turning away, Judy gazed solemnly out of the window. "I just don't like that it's _you_ who's in the firing line here."

"Hey, Carrots," Nick said, softly, "it's what we do. The important thing is... tell me, Fluff, what is it?"

The rabbit's gaze returned to the fox, seeing his free paw outstretched toward her. A small smile crossed her face, and then she took the fox's paw in her's. "...that we do it together."

...

Near the courtyard across from the genially lapping tide, the old and slanting shack of the Harbourmaster of the Zootopia docks coughed viciously as he puffed from his overfilled wooden pipe. Clearing his chest with a swing of brown ale from the bottle, the large, shaggy dog banged out his pipe on the sideboard.

"Cheap old Feneswalian tobacco," he muttered in a low growl, "load-a hogwash, that is, bor." The old dog broke out into inexplicable chuckling as he shuffled the few feet to the other side of the shack and fell back into his chair, ale in paw.

The inside of the dog's shack was hardly cosy and anything but roomy, yet the old shiphand had always felt somehow at home in this shabby little square of corrugated metal. The room was about the size of a small train carriage and would have been considered almost a mansion back home in Zistopia. There was no bed or toilet, just a worn felt armchair on one side, which was a faded green in colour with the stuffing falling out of the back, and an iron stove, which Shuck kept constantly lit from a small bucket of coal beside it, on the other.

There was a sturdy, metal door on one of the long sides of the room with a window a few feet beside it. The window was a single pain of glass, which had been smashed, but had been taped over with Ducktape to keep out the wind. Below the window was a spindly, four legged table. One of the legs was shorter than the others, and so had a lump of wood stuffed beneath it.

Shuck lent forwards to the table with an outstrhced paw and started searching for his cigarettes. The dog pushed a three day old news paper onto the floor, pushed aside his old oil lamp and pick up a small box from which he took a cigarette and put it to his mouth.

"Here's to the real stuff," he muttered to himself, lighting one in the oil lamp, "proper black cigarettes what these are, bor, of the fine-living Weston life livers of~" He continued speaking to himself in a low voice, his speech now incomprehensibly mumbled and slurred.

"Damn Officers," he muttered between swigs, "come down here, trapces about the place an' go buggering off leaving me to merself. Well sucks to the lotta dem! Hah, the mother-clinging comes from and... oh, what will we do with a drunken sailor, what will we do with a drunken sailor, what will we do with a drunken _sailooor_ -."

Shuck's head shout around at the echo of a bottle tipping some distance away. The large dog stood slowly and creaked open the metal door, breathing the cold, lake air as he stepped from the slightly warmer interior, muttering softly under his breath. "...ear-I in the morning."

Outside, the air was crisp and cool, the shadows growing steadily lager as it began its decent through the air. The black dog ran his tongue over his barbed teeth. Something in the air wasn't right.

Stepping out into the harbour, the shaggy black hound started walking through the rows and rows of large shipping crates, beneath the low arches of cranes and among the rusted framework of the disused boatbuilders' yard his shack was lent up against.

Hearing a muffled sound behind him, Shuck turned, and came face-to-face, with a heavy piece of lead piping. "Arse fu-" And then the two of them made heavy contact with one another. And the body of the dog slumped like a sack of bricks to the floor.

The coyote gazed down at the unconscious figure of the mongrel. He was impressed, a strike like that would kill most mammals. He let the lead pipe drop to the floor, then turned and called out behind him.

"Hey, Gramps, come on out."

The figure of a billy goat approached slowly. "Is it done?"

"Yeah, course it's done."

The goat spotted the dog on the floor, jolting back at his bloodied muzzle. "My God, George, look what you did!"

"What? He won't wake up for a good few hours."

"But _look_ what you did!"

"Nyilas, just shut up! And keep this gun trained on him, just in case he wakes up early."

"Where are you going?"

"To signal the boat to come into port."

"It isn't dark yet, what about the police?"

"You see any police around here?"

"But where do you think they went?"

"No idea, but they seemed to be in a big hurry."

"Are they coming back?"

"Who cares? With them out of the way, we can begin operations early."

"Do you have the Lord's permission?"

"I don't need anyones permission!" This is _my_ job, and I'm gonna do it _my_ way."


	50. A Fast talking Fox

**Three things. First, happy 18th birthday Lydia. Second, we've reached chapter fifty! A milestone indeed. The following chapter is possibly a little ludic (Nick's plan especially) but I think it works and is definitely memorable (which chapter 50 should be). It is largely in reference to another persons work, and I'm hoping a few of you will recognize what's it's from (if you do, don't worry, they will be given full praise next chapter).**

* * *

 _ **'T' minus 2 hours and holding...**_

The brick and mortar structure of Erkin Electrical Enterprise stood nonchalantly between row upon row of other, near identical industry buildings. Outlined against the falling sun, it was a black shadow offset with grey twilight.

The sun was still shining. However, in the city of skyscrapers, night came early; the sun blocked by the many towers of the city skyline, though nightfall was still more than two hours away.

A car pulled up against the side of the road. From within, two mammals stepped out into the warm air. The wind had picked up; a hot wind - stuffy and breathless - which made the very act of walking alone nearly enough to bring out a sweat.

The two mammals stepped down the road, adjusting their recently-acquired clothing as they paced towards a row of tall and industrial buildings some way off; the smaller of the two, a rabbit, speaking to the fox as they made their towards it.

"Honestly, though," she said, "I think you could've bought something better than some old sweater to disguise yourself in. It's not your style."

"This is not a sweater," Nick said, indignantly, "this is a _hoody_. It's a grey hoody, with 'Freedom Festival' printed on the back, and it is the most amazing piece of clothing I have ever used the ZPD budget to buy."

"And you're seriously going to claim this under expenses?"

"Yeah - it's for work, it was expensive - why shouldn't I?"

"And the creamy, suede, over-the-shoulder bag ?Admit it, Nick, you wanted it for yourself."

"Well, that too, but look, you got some nice stuff out of it."

"A black hoody and a pair of denim jeans? I look ridiculous."

"They're _awesome_!"

The rabbit squinted up at the fox as they walked. "Nick, are you feeling okay?"

"Of course, I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?"

"You seem a little... excited."

"I'm getting into character. Stop ruining it, Johnny!"

"What, I thought _you_ were Johnny?"

"I _am_ Johnny _!_ How dare you. I can't believe you just said that."

"We're both called Johnny?!" Judy shouted, clutching at her skull, "Why can't this just make sense! You haven't even told me what our cover-story is yet."

"You know more than you need to know already."

"Wait, Johnny's a male's name..."

"Well then, you'll just have to speak in a deeper voice, won't you. Do I have to explain everything?"

"So, what, the story is I'm a male who's had a sex change now? Is that it?"

"Don't put so much thought into it."

" _You_ clearly haven't."

"Trust me, Hopps," he muttered under his breath, "the less you understand what's going on right now, the more convincing we'll be."

"Damn it," the rabbit muttered to herself, "why do I get the felling the only reason you're _not_ telling me is because you _know_ I'd never allow it."

The only response the rabbit attained from that was a dry chuckle as the front door and reception area of Erkin grew ever closer.

"Nick," she tried, "can we just be sane for one moment please? We're almost there."

"Who needs sanity when you can be happy?"

"For crying out loud, Nick," Judy moaned between begging and screaming, "you're gonna get us both killed!"

"That's the beauty, Hopps," he said, turning to face her and walking backwards towards Erkin, "if we broke in and they found the two of us as Nick and Judy, they'd put a bullet in our brains. But, going in like this - like a couple of wacko nut jobs - the worst that can happen is they kick us out."

"I, I..." Judy stammered, "I kind of get the logic of that, but if we're going to just knock right on the front gate, won't they just bar our entry?"

"They can't bar us entry," the fox sung, turning to the front, "We are **PIE**!"

"Pie? What's Pie?"

"PIE," Nick exclaimed: " ** _Paranormal Investigators Extraordinaire_** _!_ "

Judy blinked. "No. Oh sweet cheese and crackers, no."

"Come on, Johnny," Nick said, putting his paws on the building's front doors, "let's go catch ourselves some ghosts!"

"No, Nick, _no._ Don't do this to us!"

Throwing both doors open, Nick burst into Erkin's reception area with all the will and excitement he could muster, throwing his arms out wide as he exclaimed dramatically to the room, _"_ _ **Greetings**_ fellow adventurers, I am Johnny Ghost, Paranormal Investigator Extraordinaire! This is my partner, Johnny Toast, also a Paranormal Investigator. _We have come_ ," he shouted over whatever the receptionist was about to say, "to a Class Nine paranormal flux reading on our ghoscilloscope, warranting an immediate Clearance-Eight sweep of the area. Is your boss available right now?"

"Well, I, erm," the receptionist stuttered.

"No time," Nick interrupted, "Toast," he said, turning to Judy, "go check under that nice receptionist's desk; make sure there's no paranormal activity going on under there."

Flummoxed beyond being able to question her orders, she made silently towards the receptionist's desk and started to search for... well, that was it... she didn't have even the vaguest inkling what she was looking for.

"Now," Nick said, pacing towards the receptionist's desk and placing both paws on the counter, "you have to let us in. We have no idea of the kind of paranormal activates we can expect. People could die."

"Well," the receptionist stuttered, "I-"

"Toast," Nick cut in, "you find anything under that desk?"

"I, urh," she said, standing.

"Hey," Nick said, "your voice has gone all feminine, you must be possessed!"

Coughing, the rabbit hurriedly lowered the pitch of her voice, standing in a slightly more masculine way. "Didn't find anything, sir."

"That's good," Nick said, "it would've been a real pity if this nice female had turned out to be the ghost all along, wouldn't it? Especially if she'd used her corporeal form to rip open our stomachs and eat our livers."

The receptionist stared, beyond bewildered. "Would a ghost do that?"

"That's all part of the job, Ma'am." Placing his paw on his heart, the fox spoke as through reciting an oath. " _'We shall haunt and hunt the ghosts, we shall seek and seek the monsters, and we will look for 'em real good.'_ That is the motto of PIE, and we seriously need to get in there and clear things up before people starting disappearing. Please, time is of the essence."

"I, erm... just give me a, erm..." Stuttering elaborately, the unfortunate female pressed the buzzer on a radio on her desk. "Mister Bains," she said, "I think you'd better get in here right away."

"Not now," came the gruff reply, "I'm busy."

"But sir, there's a Mister Gh-"

"I told you, Samantha, I'm busy! Now for the last time, buzz off!"

"But sir, this is important!"

"Not the police, is it?"

"No, but-"

"Then _buzz off!_ I'm busy; as you know, we've got another shipment of stock coming in this evening, and I _will_ be ready for its arrival."

Slowly - not wanting to look at either of the Paranormal Investigators - the receptionist put the radio back in the receiver. "I'm afraid Mister Bains is unavailable right now," she said, keeping a calm tone, "you two will just have to come back some other-"

"Come back? That's impossible! Listen," Nick said, urgently, half climbing onto the desk to whisper, panic stricken, to the receptionist: "The ghost we're hunting down is a level four entity known as The Whisperer, otherwise known as The Housekeeper."

"What's the difference in entity levels?" she asked, also whispering.

"Okay," Nick said, "level four has a physical, actual body. That means he can reach out and he can touch you and rip your organs out, okay? A level three can easily be seen with the naked eye, level two can only be heard and level ones only show up on our equipment. Now, he's been seen thirty-six times since his very first noticing appearance in nineteen thirty-six and he has killed thirteen people up 'til this time period, so he's a very deadly ghost. You need to keep on the lookout and let me know if anything strange happens while Toast and I search the place."

The receptionist rubbed her head, almost having lost all her self-assurance and bamboozled to the point of almost believing him. "But I really don't think I can-"

Nick made for the kill. He could see she was on the point of believing him. It wouldn't work for long, but it didn't need to. A minute is all it would take, and they'd be in.

"Miss," he said, earnestly, almost begging, "just think of the terrible repercussions that could come as a result of this. Think of the trouble this restless spirit could cause. All we need is five minutes, and we will be able to scare this ghost away to another scene. He knows better than to mess with Johnny Ghost, after all."

"You're really that great a ghost hunter?"

"The best you could ever hope to find."

The female breathed a heavy breath. "Alright, who did you say you were representing again?" she asked, taking out what looked like a guest book.

"PIE. Paranormal Investigators Extraordinaire."

She wrote out the name. "And you are?"

"Johnny Ghost." He pointed to the rabbit. "This here's Johnny Toast."

"And it's just the two of you?"

"No," Nick said, "of course not. We also work with Colon Ghostie and Fred Spooker, but Colon's out of town at the moment and Spooks is in jail."

"What happened?"

"He was found selling macaroni to children."

"And, erm," she said, nodding towards Judy, "Johnny Toast, is he-"

"His real name's 'Johnny Toast Jonathan Bartholomew Maxwell Johnny Toast Junior'. He's written a book on Paranormal Investigation, which he'll probably try to sell to you sometime before the night's through. Don't buy it."

"There's three Johns in his name?"

"And two Toasts, yes."

"But he, erm... that is to say, he looks more like a fema-"

"It's a long story. He's British," Nick said, as though explaining everything, "aren't you, Toast?"

Startled, Judy cleared her throat and put on a hasty, British accent. "Yeah," she said, still in a male's voice, "that's right." The receptionist stared at her as though expecting something more. Scouring her mind, the rabbit sought for the one thing she knew without doubt all British said. "Erm, tea and biscuits, wot ho...?"

"And," Nick added, spur of the moment, "she was once attacked by a werewolf and actually became a wererabbit for a few days-"

" ** _What?_** " Judy exclaimed.

"-but she has blackouts and can't really remember it."

The receptionist stared down at them with... well, the kind of expression you'd expect from someone who's just be told what she had been told.

"Oh, don't worry," Nick said, intentionally misinterpreting her gobsmacked bewilderment for concern, "we took her to an exorcism and she's been fine since."

"I thought you said it was a him?"

"Well... they sung hymns at the exorcism?"

"Alright, look," the receptionist said, resolutely, "tell me honestly: how important it is you get in there and have a look?"

"On a scale of one to ten," Nick said, "I would say it's at an H level of importance."

"An 'H'? That's not, erm... that's not a number."

"Well, it kind of is if you think about it. It's just an eleven that's hugging."

"You know what? Fine, just go in," she said, "go in, and take a look around. I'm not going to be held responsible for any paranormal accidents happen around here, so go look, then get back here."

"Thank you, Miss," Nick said, "you can count on PIE."

"Here," she said, reaching under the desk and taking out two 'pass' badges which the fox which he hung around his neck, pacing one to Judy, "just be sure not to open up any boxes, whatever the excuse."

"Thank you so much," Nick said. "Toast, say thank you."

"Erh, my heartfelt and utmost thanks to you, good lady, for permitting us entry to this establishment, wot."

"Good job," Nick said, passing her her visitor's badge, "now, come along, we've got work to do."

Judy stared down at the badge in her paws. Her gaze slowly rose, the smallest of grins on her lips as she looked at her fox - a look of simple admiration - as he paced casually towards the door inside. She turned to the receptionist who responded with a confused, but polite smile, slipped the necklace over her ears, and followed the fox behind.

The receptionist gazed after them as the rabbit left the room. She sat in thought for a long moment, and then opened up a draw under her desk and took out a small book. The title of the book: 'My Diary.' Turning to today's date she took up a pen, pondered for a moment, and started to write.

 _'Do you ever have one of those moments that leaves you chilled? Leaves you shaken...?'_

...

"Get started, Hopps," Nick said, his voice suddenly low and harsh, "that'll last maybe five minutes before we get kicked out."


	51. Setting the Fuse

**Below is, more or less, a small paper I've written to try and explain the logic behind Nick's plan. I would have weaved this seamlessly into the plot by having Nick explain it to Judy (and thus you) but that would either mean they spend half an hour discussing psychology when they barely have minutes to get what they desperately need... or waiting until after the raid and all, by which point most of the detailing of chapter 50 may have been forgotten. But, if you have no interest in reading the logic behind it, feel free to skip past it.**

 _Now, call me insane if you must, but technically speaking, the content of Nick's plan could theoretically work. This is a matter of psychology and I'm no psychologist, but I remember reading a paper about this a few years ago and it was the memory of that which gave me/Nick the idea for this. I've tried to refined the paper for this, but have been unable so to do._

 _The basis of the study was in regards to a tactic used by advertising agencies to make the general public by (put bluntly) their crap; the useless junk no-one would ever want yet somehow find themselves buying. The way they do this is rather cleaver: by presenting the information about their product in such a way (for example starting with a rhetorical question) they sort of shift our mind (which usually considers everything we do in terms of short, mid and long term reputations) into only thinking about things in the 'short' term._

 _By doing this, they then free our minds of the nagging doubt of the 'long term' telling you not to waste your money on this useless frivolity and to not clutter up your house with its unnecessary assistance. Need proof? Look about at your house - your kitchen in particular; I would be rely very surprised if you could not find one thing you bought, which seemed like a good idea at the time, which you then took home and realized had no purpose._

 _Carrying on this train of logic, what I attempted to achieve (or, perhaps, if you're really into the story, what Nick attempted to achieve) was to baffle and bamboozle the receptionist with such a disorientating string of endophoric logical information, that the receptionist's mindframe was shifted away from thinking, in the long term, about how utterly ridiculousness all of this was, into thinking in the short term about how important it was she let Ghost and Toast in right away._

 _While all the facts are, themselves, hopelessly ludic, they all made sense in the "reality" which Nick was making. That is to say, each fact made sense, if only endophoric (endophoric being a thing which refers to something inside the same text... unlike an exophoric which referrers to something outside of the text). This would have had a kind of compound effect on the receptionist, meaning that the more Nick piled endophorically believable facts on top of one another without breaking the illusion that he was telling the honest truth (the breaking of which would result in the receptionist's 'long term' reasoning kicking in) the more she would have started to believe it - as, indeed, she did._

 _After a while - just like in the adverts - the receptionist's mid and 'long term' reasoning was no longer being brought into the picture as Nick had focused all his energy on directing all of her attention to the immediate NOW, forcing all her energies on her 'short term' powers of reasoning by creating the story that a "very deadly ghost" had been sighted and had to be sorted out before people got hurt, thereby not only giving Ghost and Toast a good reason to want to go in, but also hurrying the receptionist and forcing her, even more, to focused only on the 'short term'._

 _So now you see, if you examine it from a psychological (and purely theoretical yet not impossible) point of view, Nick's plan was not only a cover to get them in, but just a little bit of psychological warfare. Or, to put it another way:_

 **"The pie is a lie through which Toast and Ghost fly"**

 **\- A review by 'Tantio'.**

* * *

Awoken by the sound of raindrops clanging atop of his shack's iron roof, Shuck Black opened his eye slowly and found himself slumped, as though he had been sleeping, in his faded, green armchair. The dog gazed up at his sealing, listening to the sounds of small raindrops landing upon the roof.

It wasn't raining, but when the wind was picking up like it was now, a thin, damp mist was drawn from the lake surrounding Zootopia and blew against the harbor. Half a mile into the city it was unnoticeable, and the mist itself was never thick enough to cause actual raindrops, but it did coat the roof of the abandoned boatbuilders' yard with due, and this due would collect into droplets of rain which ran off the roof, into the leaky drain, and onto the roof of Black's shack, making it _tap, tap, tap_ as it did.

Sitting forwards a little, a buzz of raw, hot pain shot through Shuck's body and the aging dog winced as he brought a paw back to rub at the pain in his head. Then he remembered what had happened and where he was - the blow to the head; the goat; the car - and his face slowly rose to look into the room, gazing and the unnerved billy goat who was watching him uncomfortably from the other side of the small room. The gaze held.

"Would it be pertinent to mention I was armed?" Victor said, timidly.

The shaggy, black mammal sat back in his chair and observed the billy goat for a long, calm moment. "I know you're armed," Shuck said, eventually, "no prey mammal of your aged be fool enough to try an' hold an old mut like me hostage without a gun."

Silence fell again. Shuck twisted his head around in a wide arch. "That were a damn good clout with that bit o' lead pipe. Was that you who dealt me the shot?"

"I, erm-"

" 'Course not," he answered, "just look at ye, you're not the type to wield a lead pipe."

"I erm... I'm not entirely sure what I should say."

"Huh," Shuck said, picking an ear clean distractedly, "we ain't on a bleedin' date, you know."

"I know, I know. It's just, all this... it feels so ~"

"Unnatural. You're not used to this. I could see that a mile off."

Nyilas nodded, silently.

"Well, bor," he said, "you're in this about as deep as you're gonna get, so get used to it." Shuck watched with interest as the goat nodded then stared down at his hands, his face full of distant regrets.

Shuck cleared his throatily, then said, softly: "You don't want to be here, do you? Not really."

For the first time, Nyilas looked at Shuck, unflinchingly. "No, sir, I do not."

"Why you here, this ain't your scene?"

"If I were to tell you, you would not believe it."

"You got a family?"

"I do. I think."

Shuck nodded, his eyes closing. "It takes a faithful man to be willin' to lay down his life for his family. It takes an even more faithful man to be willin' to take the life of somebody else. What's your name, son?"

"Son? I am old enough to be your father."

"Hey, I'm older than I look, you know," the dog said with a grin, "I know I may have the angelic face of a church soprano singer, but I really am a gnarled ole mongrel underneath."

Nyilas chuckled, softly. "My name is Nyilas, Victor Nyilas. And you?"

"Shuck. Folk call me Black Shuck."

"I erh..." the billy goat chuckled, pathetically... "I suppose you are aware, Mister Shuck, you could probably straight out of here? That I would not have the guts to fire on you?"

"Interestin' you should say that," Black said, slowly, "I have oft found, Mister Nyilas, that it's the polite, quiet types who are the more capable of pullin' the trigger on someone. It's usually the bold as brass types who'd mock up the act of havin' a pare but wouldn't fire a weapon to save their own life. Your kind's more dangerous: the 'understated' type."

The goat thought for a moment, then said: "And what about you? Have you ever fired a gun on another mammal?"

"Aye, once or twice. Been in a lot of bar brawls, knife fights... I've never _wanted_ to kill the bugger, but I didn't have no choice most of the time."

Nyilas nodded, sadly. "I know what you mean."

Shuck sighed. "I've left quite a strong of widows and orphans behind me. I've often thought if there was any justice in the world it'd be the lovin' father and husband who'd live rather than lonely ole me. No-one'll care when I die."

Both mammals stared at nothing for a long moment, the only sounds being the metallic tap of water upon rooftop, and the soft crackle burning coal in the fire.

The harbormaster sat back, picking up a bottle of ale which was nearly empty from the floor and taking it down in one swing, gazing up at the cast iron roof. "You really expect to get out of this alive?" he said after a long moment.

Victor was silent for a long moment. "No," he said, softly.

"You want some kind of vengeance on these bastards who kidnapped your family and blackmailed you into doin' their work?"

"If my family are dead," he said, "I would have the heavens open and let fire and death rain down upon them."

"You know what they're planing?"

"To some extent."

"You know who's in charge?"

"...yes."

Shuck sat forwards and gazed intently at the goat, his single eye glinting red in the firelight. "Then you tell me everything you know, and if the worst comes, I'll be sure they're left retching in the mud like _worms_."

...

Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps stepped on, through the short and narrow corridor leading off from the receptionist's area, towards a large, wooden door at the end. The walls were painted all grey; there was no natural light; the door at the end of the hall was tall and painted red.

The two mammals stopped at the face of the door and shared an uncomfortable glance. They were in, sure... but they both knew they couldn't call themselves 'safe' until they were out again.

The fox reached out a paw and pushed his palm against the heavy wood door, and the silence broke out into the racket of industrial engineering.

The building was wider and flatter then Ladders and Ladders had been - with a rectangular floorspace roughly twice the size but the building only being three storys high - unlike Ladders which had been seven. And rather than having three floors, the three story building was simply one tall hall, filled with sealed crates, planks of metal and a number of various hardfacing and welding machines.

Judy gazed about, slowly. "They're certainly keeping themselves busy."

"Yeah," Nick said, watching as a large piece of sheet metal was being lowered down towards a welding station on a system of pullies, "I was hoping they'd be a little _less_ effort into looking like a legitimate business - if it was just a warehouse full of crates it'd be pretty easy to prove, but with all this 'real' equipment here, it's gonna make things a little harder."

"Did it ever cross your mind that the reason they look like a legit business is because they are one?"

"What do you mean?"

"The reason we're here looking for hard evidence, is because we don't actually _**have**_ any hard evidence that anything illegal is going on here!"

"Well, if that's the case, it's no fault of ours."

"It's not the risk of getting blamed that I'm worried about," she sighed, "it's the families and the lives being torn apart by this gang's continued resistance."

"Well then, Carrots, let's get to it."

Hopps and Wilde stepped into the main work area. There were around twelve mammals in high-vis jackets in all, a few of which stopped working and turned to them. There was a great deal of mistrust in their eyes - perhaps more than should be expected from an honest laborer.

Only about a third of the room was viable - the rest blocked off by a few stacks of wooden crates and manufacturing equipment with a few parts sectioned off by wall dividers to weld behind. There was no actual head office as such, but there was a mobile office trailer in the corner of the room which seemed to act fill that role.

From a trailer marked 'office', a beaver emerged wearing a white hard hat and approached the two, hurriedly, a look of frustration on the brown creature's expression. The undercover officers slowed to a stop, the beaver still some way off, and Nick whispered harshly into Judy's ear.

"Remember the plan?"

"Of course?"

"Stick to it. And if anything goes wrong, get the hell out of here."

"But, Nick-"

"Don't. If things go bad, get yourself out, don't worry about me."

Judy made to say something more, but was cut off by the beaver as he came to a stop directly before the fox and rabbit, glaring at them with his arms crossed.

"I don't know what you two are doing here, but I want you out, now. This place ain't open to the public."

"And you are, sir?" Nick said.

"The formammal. And what I say goes. And when I say, _you_ go, so get out!"

"See these badges," Nick said, holding the 'visitor' badger the receptionist had given him, "we're here for a very important purpose. I need to inspect your machinery, pronto."

"You can't just come in here and demand to look at our machinery. What right do you have?"

"Every right. This is no longer a safe working environment!" Nick stated, his volume raising.

"Well I say it is safe," the formammal shouted. "We have inspections every month, and I have the paperwork to prove it!"

"Well, paperwork is one thing, Mister, but when an employee looses an arm to a rogue saw blade, _then_ what good is your paperwork!"

"Now, you listen to me," the beaver shouted, pointing at the fox, a crowd of mammals gathering around them, "we operate here under completely legal procedures. My workers are all highly trained professionals, and I will not have the likes of _you_ say otherwise!"

"But don't you get it," Nick shot, his voice echoing all throughout the hall, making even the workers who had been welding stop and come over to look, "we _must_ check-"

"No ifs, no buts," the beaver shouted, every worker in there now in a semicircle behind him, "you have no right to be here, and you have no authority to tell us what to do, now kindly leave before we lock you in a crate and throw you out to sea!"

Nick glanced around at the room. As far as he could see, the eyes of every worker in there were now sourly on him. "But just **look** at this," Nick shot, marching past the irate beaver and all his colleagues, all of whom turned to watch as he up to a large tank in the center of the room, "this, erh... this 'piece of equipment' is clearly not up to standards."

While the fox had paced to the center of the room, Judy had stayed exactly where she was... and was now stood, completely forgotten about, behind the line of the workers who were each focused only on Nick and his argument with the beaver.

Unobserved, the rabbit turned to the trailer marked 'office' in the near corner of the room and took a step towards it. No-mammal seemed to notice. She took another step, and another...

"Look at this?" the formammal shouted, "You don't even know what it's called! It's an electrolysis tank, alright? We use it to coat metal objects."

"And that is exactly why I'm worried," Nick said, rolling with it, "you see, after the recent electrical storm-"

"Electric storm?!"

"The one over Bullgaria yesterday. There's a chance the magnetic flux caused by the storm could have loosened some of the bolts of your equipment. I need to check each and every one."

Nick and the beaver formammal continued arguing animatedly, every worker still focused on the display, and Judy came up square with the trailer in the corner.

Glancing over her shoulder, the rabbit reached out to the doorhandles, and stepped inside. The office was furnished with a desk, lap, rack of coats and a filing cabinet. The cabinet needed a key to open which Judy couldn't see. She could have forced the lock but that would obviously raise suspicion - they needed the workers to think they were just a couple of nutters; if they suspected they were investigating them at all, that risked them torching the place and destroying all evidence.

Hopps turned to the desk and briskly searched through the draws - aware Nick could only keep things up so long - but couldn't find anything beyond a few documents which didn't look important and a small key.

Moving back to the cabinet, she tried unlocking it with the key. The key slid in, but only half way, and then it jammed and wouldn't budge.

Groaning frustratedly, the rabbit pulled the key out and looked about at the small room, irritatedly. She could hear Nick still heatedly arguing with the formammal. It sounded like the fox was on the back foot and the beaver was growing impatient. So was Judy. She was running out of time.

Deciding there was nothing incriminating enough in the office, Judy grabbed hold of the key and slipped out. Workers were all still focused on the argument which was still going strong, and the multiple wooden crates and pieces of industrial machinery about the place made traversing the location unseen relatively easy.

Mapping out a rout in her head, the rabbit crouched down beside a waist-high crate close by to her, and started shuffling her way across the grounds. She came about a third of the way across the room and then she reached the point where the semicircle of mammals had formed about, bringing her close as she was going to get to being noticed.

Going extra slow, the rabbit held her breaths in and moved on silent footsteps. She was at no risk of being directly seen, but the figure of a bloodhound lent against one of the boxes she had to crawl past gave her cause for concern.

Judy watched, her nerves shaking, as she grew nearer and nearer to the mammal, wincing as she his nose start to twitch. Making a snap decision, she sprang away from the creates, landed flat on her side, and rolled swiftly beneath a large piece of machinery.

The dog's ear twitching, he turned and gazed at the empty space behind him. His nose twitching, he glanced about at the room and at the space behind the crate he was stood against but saw no-one.

If someone had been looking, they would have seen the rabbit appear over the crates for the brief moment she was airborne, but if she hadn't moved the dog would have lent over the creates and seen her anyway, so she judged her move well made.

The bloodhound sniffed a few more times, his brow furrowing, but the argument was more interesting and he returned his attention back to that.

Judy crawled out from her hiding place beneath the piece of machinery. Low to the ground as she could be, she crawled back up to the crates and lifted herself back onto hands and knees. She crawled on until she was around half way across the room, and then she came to the end of the line of crate.

Nowhere to go from here, she dove out from behind cover and landed behind the large piece of sheet metal which was being lowered down to the floor when she entered. She lay, panting, on the floor for a moment, then decided no-one had seen her and pulled herself back onto her feet.

On the other side of a large shipping container which ran across the center of the room, the rabbit could now stand up and walk freely without risk of being seen - so long as she was quiet, that is, and so long as she didn't take too long.

She turned about herself, this way and that, she she tried to work out which box to try first.

This part of the working hall had a great many small crates in it, but due to the fact they appeared to actually be doing welding and metalwork here also, that meant that only a few of these would actually contain illegal substance - the rest containing the actual, real metal components and tools they were using to make their cover as a legitimate business appear legitimate to anyone who should come looking.

There were far too many crates here to search them all, and opening one up at random left far too much to chance given the time she had left. _I need a marker,_ she thought, _some kind of signal or sign that I'll be looking in the right place, something that sets one area off from everything else in some way; something like, I don't know, like a..._

...then she turned up to the large shipping container she was stood beside - the large shipping container just like the ones which would have been unloaded from the ship Shuck had earlier described - and her expression slowly fell.

She walked round to the front. The create door was padlocked but that came open easy with the key she had swiped from the beavers office, and she slid the bolt open slowly with only a soft _clunk_ before she pulled the door open and slipped inside.

There was no lighting, and she couldn't risk just leaving the door open, so she pulled it nearly closed and took out her phone, scrolled through a short list of functions on the backlit screen, and flicked on the light.

The rabbit turned to the stacks of wooden crates which were identical to the ones outside. She snapped a photo and then lifted the lid of one of the dozens of boxes stacked upon one another, staring at the bags upon bags of cochain within.

She snapped a photo, lowered the lid and opened up another another box which contained more of the same. She took a second photo, and then, she lifted up a third box... and her expression froze.

"Jesus hell," she breathed in shock, staring, wide eyed, at the content of the box. Her paw shaking, her breaths trembling, she snapped a picture of the content and hurried back out, closing and locking the door behind her and pocketing the key.

She emerged from the crate and raised an ear intently - she had to tell him. Nick had started to monologue. Judy knew the way which Nick lied, and she knew the system he followed. When he was monologuing, it was because engaging with whoever he was no longer working, and all he could do now was talk and talk until he was exhausted. She didn't have long.

Crouching down onto all fours, the rabbit made her way back to the other side of the work area by the same rout she had taken before, listening to the words of the fox.

"And so, I put it to you, that at the end of the day, all things considered upon mature reflection, looking at it by and large - what with one thing and another as a general yearly average (calendar, of course, not financial) - then I would say that the overall systematic functionality of the entirety of the company would be, not to put too finer point on it, more or less sufficiently inclined towards being of that opinion which one so often follows in these industrial circles, that the greater degree of efficiency obtained by the countable and uncountable force and magnitude of the individual..."

Judy passed behind the bloodhound leaning against the crates a second time, this time just hurrying past him as his nose started twitching again.

"...would be as such to require no more than the prominent external and ministerial stimulation, as put down in the foundations and workings of the general company as a whole, as to thereby free the greater works of the overlings - not to state that the so-called 'underlings' would be of sufficiently less character (that is to say, they are not unworthy of gratuitousness merit just because they are of inferior rank) - in such a manner to allow said overlings the overseeing authority - not to mention the time and energy (and notwithstanding the laws and ordinances regarding overworking and the results of administratorial stress in these circumstances) - to observe and to locomote, with all due care and forsite to whatever degree is therefore available to them, to be in a position whereby they might refreign another worker of lesser statice from impeding or, indeed, overthrowing the collective, and not unduly important, cost and monetary effectiveness and efficiency of the company as it therefore stands."

The room stared at the fox silently for a long time. After a few moments, the beaver spoke up. "What...?"

The fox sighed airily and crossed his arms as he said: "Taking the collective and non-collaborative ingoings and outgoings of any company opering under Zootopan law - as set down in category five, subsection three clause two one four of the Engineering Precision act eighteen seventy-nine - it is stated that any and all company who holds-"

"Woh, woh, woh! Fox," the badger shouted, desperately trying to cut Nick off, "stop with the administrative jargon talk and state it plainly: what are you trying to say?"

"Well... you see..." leaning to the side a little, Nick looked towards the doorframe. Judy Hopps was stood there, frantically trying to get his attention yet without being noticed by anyone else, her expression a mask of worry. "...what I'm saying is," he finished, "you employ other people to do the work so you have the time to supervise them. Simple."

The fox started to pace from the room. The workers turned as he passed them, gazing at him, baffled, as he rejoined the rabbit who they assumed had just been stood there the whole time.

"Wait," the formammal said, "that's it?"

"Pretty much."

"What about the equipment? Don't you want to examine it now?"

"Nah, you've convinced me. Come on, Cottontail, we're out of here."

"But... but, wait! That was what you came in for? To tell me I hire people to work for me?!"

"It's a wounder what you can learn," Nick said smoothly, pulling open the door and making his way out. "Ciao!"

The large door swung shut on the room of mammals, the beaver in charge taking of his hard hat and wiping his brow with a glazed look of confusion on his face. "What the the world in all of God's names the heck do you think that was all about?" he muttered to himself.

...

"Alright, Nick, listen," Hopps said, breathlessly, pacing alongside the fox as they made back up the corridor, " 'cause this just got real."

"It's been real a long time," Nick said, "but go on."

"I mean, _really_ real, and very dangerous for all of us."

Nick nodded. "What did you find?"

"I went into that large crate; I think it was one of those from the ship. I managed to get inside and there was crates of cochain everywhere."

"You get pictures?"

"More than enough."

"Okay, but that wouldn't be enough to scare you like this, what else did you find?"

Opening her phone, the rabbit flicked to an image. "This."

The fox took the phone, stared down at it for a long second, then whistled in disbelief. "SMGs?"

"A _crate_ -full."

"Look pretty state of the art, too. Must've cost a pretty penny to have these made."

"What does it mean, Nick," she said, desperately.

Growling, the fox marched on. "You know as well as I."

"But they seemed so genuine," Judy said, "when you were talking to him about equipment and all, they knew what they were talking about and what they were doing."

"And when we went in, before we interrupted their work, they actually _were_ doing what they're legal supposed to be doing."

"But that doesn't make any sense, Nick! If they're members of a criminal organization-"

"Carrots, we still don't exactly know just how big this is, but from what I can see, they are _super_ professional, and if they've burnt down a building and been armed with a _crate_ of Sub-Machine Guns, it isn't much of a push to believe this mammals have actually been _trained_ in mechanics so that they can pass themselves off as a legitimate business to the outside world."

Hopps was silent for a long moment. Coming to the end of the corridor, the fox paused by the door back to the main reception area as she spoke: "So what do we do?"

"Tread carefully, and keep an ear to the ground."

"That's it?"

"It's all we can do. It kept me alive, and getting _us_ out of this alive is the most important thing for me right now, drugs and police raids aside."

Hopps stood and thought for a moment longer as Wilde pushed the door open, stepping past her and into the receptionist's area. Taking a breath, Judy stepped forwards and followed him behind.

* * *

 **The content of last chapter wall pretty much all in reference to one of a number of Gmod rollplays done by the Youtubing group, _VenturianTale_. It is from here I directly got the names of Johnny Toast, Ghost, PIE and all of that.**

 **If you haven't seen their videos, they're a group of four siblings. There videos are always very imaginative and very funny and just a simple way of getting entertainment. If you're interested in looking at some of their stuff, they already have over two and a half million subscribers to their channel so they are popular, and they do a huge variety of things - inducing a Skyrim and Oblivion playthrough, Five Nights at Freddie's, police roleplays, Minecraft, Portal, simple play around with random things and, of course, the famous Paranormal Investigation roleplays with Johnny Ghost and Johnny Toast.**

 **Not all their videos are equal - but having over three thousand, that's to be exacted - and it can take a little while (while you get to know the characters (the 'real' ones and in-game ones) and the humor) before you start enjoying it properly, so I've suggested three good videos for you to watch if you so wish.**

• **'Gmod Paranormal Ghost Hunting Horror Map! Part 1' - This is the actual episode most of chapter 50 was based on.**  
• **'Gmod POLICE RP Mod 3' - one of the most surreal endings I've ever seen.**  
• **'Zootopia Highschool (Nick & Judy roleplay)' - featuring our actual Nick and Judy.**

 **Let me know if you take a look; I hope you enjoy it if you do.**


	52. Apparition's Inhibitions

**At this general time last year, I infixed a Christmas chapter into the story.** For reasons which I hope are obvious, I cannot do so this year and so, in its place, I have started a separate Christmas-themed piece, _Too Many Christmas Trees,_ (the second in the series I'm basing off the 1960s British spy thriller, The Avengers). You do not need to have read the first part, Castle De'ath, to understand it, though it has now been completed.

Also, I have a small note for USA Patriot. Dear Patriot, if I might ask for the input of your superior knowledge about weapons, there are a few questions on the Information on the Author page. It would be a credit to me if you could oblige.

* * *

 _ **'T' minus 82 minutes and counting.**_

Sitting back into the leather upholstery of his gray car, Jack Savage clicked his tongue against his lips as he thought, his gaze sweeping slowly this way and that across the face of Erkin Electrical Enterprise. Jack sighed and crossed his arms over his chest, bringing a paw up to stroke at his chin: he couldn't see any easy way in.

The wall he was faced with was all solid and unclimbable brickwork with no window ledges, missing bricks or convenient drainpipes anywhere near being near enough to help him scale the wall. With a lot of time and energy, he might have been able to slowly climb up the solid wall of bricks, managing, perhaps, to dig the small claws in his hands and feet into the mortar, but even then it solved little, as the windows were all solid and bard with industrial-looking locks from the inside.

There were no secondary entrances or alleyways alongside the building and no exterior fire exit he could access, for the rows of identical industrial buildings carried on for more than half a mile either way.

Savage sat back with a huff. This was intolerable. The more armor a location had, so to speak, the easier it was to find a chink in it. When it was a simple door and single brick wall like this, it was almost impossible to get in unseen.

Coming to a decision, Jack turned towards his car radio, reached out a paw, and fiddled with the dial. Yes, his orders were to keep close behind Hopps and Wilde, and yes, he could have easily gained access to the building had he had to, but that would only risk blowing whatever cover they had used to get in their themselves, and letting the organizers of the drug gang that the police were on to them. Different steps had to be taken.

Flicking his radio on and turning the dial half a turn to the right, the rabbit tugged upon it sharply... and then the whole stereo system flipped back and was replaced by an LCD screen built into the structure of the car.

A smile growing, Agent Savage worked dexterously with the controls and, in the space of an instant, the screen had switched to a green-scale display of the front of Erkin. Pressing another button, the image flickered, and the outlines of a dozen or so mammals inside the building appeared on the screen in red.

It wasn't as much of an elaborate piece of kit as it sounded - just a high-power thermal camera mounted discretely on the top of Jack's car - and yet it always gave the striped rabbit a pang of satisfaction to see his dashboard lowering down like that. It was this kind of super-spy high-tech stuff he lived for, after all.

Turning a dial on the controls, the image zoomed and focused in upon the figure of a fox and a rabbit stood side-by-side within. Only able to see a fogy outline of where walls and doors might be, Jack watched as they apparently pushed open a pare of doors and stepped into the main work room where all the other mammals were working.

Savage knew this wasn't what he had been ordered to do, but it was as much aid as he could provide without risking too much. From here, at least, he could keep an eye on them, call for backup, and intervene with guns blazing if he had to. What, by the shape of it, looked like a beaver had spotted the fox and rabbit inside - probably the formammal - and had started marching towards them. Nick stepped forwards and engaged in conversation, but Judy stayed where she was.

A sly smiling growing, Jack zoomed the camera in a little more, focusing it sourly on Judy. _That's quite some ass she has on_ her, he thorough. All _in all, I think I'm looking forwards to my little chat with her tonight_ \- and what they'd sure as hell be doing together after.

A shiver ran up the striped rabbit's back. He turned upwards, thinking, for just a second, that it was his conscience or fate or God or something, telling him not to use MI-Z equipment to stalk young rabbits - but then he realized he didn't have a conscience, that fate was just a myth, and that there was no God - and he realized it was something else.

When you were in Jack's game long enough you came to know what a shiver meant - you had to, if you wanted to stay alive - you had to know the hot itch you get on your neck the instant before someone makes an attempt on your life, the flush of heat when someone was lying to you, and the cold chill which ran up your spine whenever you were being watched by something... nasty.

The hares on the back of his neck prickling up, Jack lent back nonchalantly to gaze into the rear view mirror. He sat their, quite still, as she searched - checking in every window, beside every car and every crevice he could see. He saw nothing, but he knew better than to ignore a cold chill; a gut reaction.

Jack Savage was no romantic - nor was he a believer in superstitious fantasy such as destiny and luck - but what he did know, is that a 'gut' reaction to something was a genuine thing. It was the result of the subconscious mind, which operates far quicker and sharper than the frontal mind, trying to tell him something was amiss. When a mind was trained such as his was, a pang of doubt could mean a small part of his mind had spotted an assailant hiding in the shadows. And it was not to be ignored.

Unbuckling himself, Savage turned fully in his seat and looked intently around him. He again checked all the windows of all the buildings around him, glanced inside every single car and into every shadow.

 _There!_

The tiniest flicker of movement, concealed deep in the shadows beneath a car parked across the street, almost impossible to see; betrayed only by the slightest of inconsistencys in the blackness - the shadowiest tinge of grey in the black.

Jack gazed attentively into the shadow. Something was definitely there; he never would have spotted it if he wasn't looking, but whatever it was, it was there. The car was for a larger mammal, but there still wasn't much space beneath. It was either a rodent-sized creature observing him, or someone very supple and dexterous.

A narrow alley beside the car suggested to Jack that this had been where who or whatever was their had come from that way.

Squinting into the darkness, Jack Savage reached out silently towards the controls of his thermal imaging camera. He fiddled with the controls, still staring into the blackness as the camera turned turned towards the car, and then...

In the instant the red figure of the creature had appeared on the screen it was gone, springing with almost unnatural dexterity away to Jack knew not where. For a long time, the rabbit panned about the local area with the thermal camera, his breaths heavy, glancing up and about him regularly in... fear?

The small, striped creature was at a loss to explain why, be he suddenly felt very lost and alone. _And frightened._ His breaths short and labored, his heat beating all too fast, his palms sweating as his gaze darting from thermal camera to checking about him sporadically.

It reminded him of things he didn't want to remember - couldn't explain how he knew them at all - it reminded him he was just a small rabbit, a pray, in a world full of predators; it was like he had looked through a portal back to the past; like he had come face-to-face with a real predator of old; almost as though he had seen the very face of death himself.

On the verge of hyperventilation, Savage grabbed for the glove box and pulled it open, snatching for his gun which lay within. His hands literally shaking, he struggled to load the cold, metal device. He caught himself

Panting deeply, Jack stared at nothing as he brought his heart rate under control. _What in the world was that? An illusion? Did I just have a stroke? Did someone spike my drink in the club? The window's aren't open, so I wasn't just blowpiped by acetylcholine, at least._

The desire for fresh air was then upon him, and so he pushed open his care door and pulled himself out. The stuffy air cleared and became almost icy cold, calming and cooling his mind. His legs felt wobbly beneath him and he felt sick, so the rabbit supported himself upright on the car.

"Some fluffed-up hallucination," he muttered. "What was that damn thing, some kind of wolf?" But it was too big for a wolf - head and shoulders too big - and there was something wrong in the way it had leaped away from the scene, something subtle but unnatural about the swiftness of its movement.

Jack knew now that it was just in his head, of course, but it didn't stop him from being unnerved by the occasion. "Maybe I've been working too hard," he mumbled, his mind trying to rationalize what he had seen, "I've gotta take a break."

Still somewhat shaky, the black-striped rabbit lowered himself back into his car. He knew what he had seen had been just in his head, so didn't bother in checking for it again - instead just rotating the camera back around to face Nick and Judy inside, watching as they turned from the room of mammals who had gathered around, and started pacing back up the corridor behind them.

Once they left, Jack knew, it would be straight back to the ZPD with both of them. After that was an hour of preparing while the paperwork was pushed through, then the raid (where they both would constantly be _with_ all the other officers) and then back to the HQ again. Ergo, there was no point between now and when he was meeting Judy later where the two of them were in any position to be attacked.

On these grounds, Savage decided there wasn't much call for him to remain in close proximity to the - not now they were almost out of danger at Erkin - and so, bringing the car into life, folding the radio back up into its standard position and pulling the car away, he decided to give himself a break.

And besides... he needed to get a drink.

* * *

 **IMPORTANT!**

I wonder if I might crave your momentary indulgence in order to discharge a by no means disagreeable obligation which has, over the years, become more or less established practice in public service as we approach the terminal period of the year — calendar, of course, not financial — in fact, not to put too fine a point on it, Week Fifty-One — and submit to you, with all appropriate deference, for your consideration at a convenient juncture, a sincere and sanguine expectation — indeed confidence — indeed one might go so far as to say hope — that the aforementioned period may be, at the end of the day, when all relevant factors have been taken into consideration, susceptible to being deemed to be such as to merit a final verdict of having been by no means unsatisfactory in its overall outcome and, in the final analysis, to give grounds for being judged, on mature reflection, to have been conducive to generating a degree of gratification which will be seen in retrospect to have been significantly higher than the general average.

 _\- Yes, Minister. 'The Funny Side of Christmas.' Broadcast Christmas day, 1982._


	53. Thickening Shadows

Occupying the same space and the same time as the city of Zootopia, another city dwelt. Seen by many, yet observed by few, the mammals who knew and who chose the walk the narrow and winding streets of the city of shadows could transverse the land hither and thither at will, with their movements and their very existence their unseen by any.

The figure of a pure-white wolf lurked in the impenetrable darkness of the city of shadows, his pale eyes gazing out upon the light and life of the city of Zootopia: upon the buildings and the traffic ; upon the people and their lives.

It was now coming up to three o'clock - not that the white wolf had any real concept of what time was; aware only that the sky was beginning to gray and that the shadows which he called his world were moving and growing around him.

In around an hour, night would be upon them, and then the plains of darkness would be in abundance all over the city, and Wulf's movements would be restricted by the delicate hand of the shadows no longer.

He could move as he willed unseen. He could hunt his prey unhindered. And he could take it - take its body; take its soul - without any chance of... unnecessary complications.

The wolf gazed unmoving at a closed doorway across the street. It opened, and a young rabbit stepped out. His breaths becoming deep, his pale eyes gleamed keenly. The Hunt, after all, _was on._

...

The door to Erkin Electrical Enterprise swung open to the push of Judy Hopps. Nick following behind her, the rabbit paced all of three steps before stopping and grinding her face into her paws.

"Fluff me, Nick," she groaned, "what the heck was that? I thought that was it. I thought that was the end of us."

Nick paced up beside her, a small smile on his muzzle as he said, comfortingly: "You did great, Carrots. I'm sure Bogo will be proud of you."

"Oh, _Bogo,_ " she mumbled, rubbing her forehead, trying to clear the fox of dizzying adrenaline from her mind - the reality of what they had just done, now that they were out of it, finally sinking in. "How much time to we have, anyway?"

"It's now about three."

"And Bogo wanted it for four?"

"Yeah, so with a twenty minute drive to get over there, we've got plenty of time to spend. How about it, you want to take a break for half an hour? Recuperate?"

"What were you thinking?"

"Anything really: bar, library, walk in the park. Point is we only now made it out of the frying pan, and whatever is gonna happen tonight, I'd say we could both do with a little time to sit back and think before we head into the fire. What do you say?"

Judy looked off into no ware for a few seconds, then her gaze rose to look Nick in the eye. "It's not time to _spend_ , Nick, it's time to be _safe_. We have no right to hold back the stay of justice, even if the reasoning, in itself, is justified."

The fox shook his head slowly, crossing his arms as they approached the ZPD cruiser, but smiling lightly. "Always gotta be the little peacekeeper, ain't ya."

"I'm sorry, Nick," she said, honestly, "I know I'm more dedicated to my job then you'd like sometimes." Stepping towards the fox, the rabbit put her paw in his. "Don't be mad?"

"Course I'm not mad, Carrots. I know you're dedicated to work, and I don't ever want you to change that just for me, because I know that, to you, this job means more than just a paycheck... it means your _dream_ is coming true; it means that you helped to make the world a better place, which is all you've ever truly wanted to do. And it's that drive, that endless... _dedication_ to such a noble and selfless cause, which made me first fall in love with you, Judy."

Judy sent a smile towards the fox as he pulled open the passenger-side door of the police car and slipped inside. Opening up the drivers-side door herself, she spoke to him softly as she stepped inside. "In future, though, I _will_ make more time for our relationship together."

The rabbit sat down in the driver's seat, pulled on her belt, and lent back to find the fox had put his arm across the back seat - his arm now around her back with his paw resting affectionately on her shoulder. Glancing about herself quickly, the rabbit then lent swiftly across the space between them and placed a fleeting but pleasant kiss on the lips.

While it was true that the two of them had shared more than a few kisses in the short time they had been calling themselves lovers, it didn't change the small giggle which escaped the rabbit's lips or the light blush which crossed her face as she put the car key into the lock and turned the engine on.

...

In his concealment in the city of Shadows, the figure of the white wolf observed this simple act. He had no understanding of the base emotion involved with kissing, but the gesture of kissing he did recognize; the implication.

His prey's relationship with this other predator - whatever a relationship even was - was of less then no importance to the wolf in any other than one way... he recognized it and noted it for only one reason... as a vulnerability.

This fact was stored in the albino wolf's cruel, uncomplicated and animalistic mind, storing it as a resource - nothing more - a way of getting to the rabbit through the fox, or getting to the fox through the rabbit.

Then, as he car pulled away down the street, his interest in the kiss raided, and he turned about and paced into the darkness. A few seconds later, he dropped onto hands and knees, and started bounding at great speed across the City of Zootopia: imperceptible; unwavering; relentless.

...

As the sky darkened, and as the city of Shadows began to spread thicker and wider across Zootopia, other forces started into motion. As the chill wind began to pick up further, and as the hot air of the day started to turn chill, a vast, black shadow began looming towards the edge of the black city.

The great lake surrounding Zootopia lapping against its tall, steel sides, a vast tanker ship made towards the empty docks.

There was a mammal on the edge of the dock waving two cone-type signal lights out towards the ship, guiding it to where it needed to be. The coyote smiled to himself as the large vessel drew closer, glancing over his shoulder at a shack behind him which sat, slanting, against the wall of an abandoned boatbuilders' yard.

Though the city was large and populated by many, this part of the dock was off limits to the public and surrounded on all sides by high, metal gates. Inside, it was full of the large, metal creates the tanker vessel now making anchor their was carrying - though the inside material of these were far less evil.

The tanker ship docked against the wooden side of the harbor, alongside the concrete structure of the port itself; beneath the large cranes which would soon be unloading the ship's cargo onto land.

In the greying daylight, the shape of the ship could be clearly seen against the light of the sky. The vessel was unmarked and painted black all over, the crates were of standard design but the indented model-number imprinted onto the side of each had been hammered off and the aft side of the ship bore a tall, white structure, wherein dwelt the cabins and the steering room.

The crew gathered in the unlit steering room watched without concern as the tanker pulled up to a stop. There was no uniform, and the crewmammals mumbled to one another quietly in a foreign language.

The ship moved to a slow and steady stop; then the anchor fell into the icy water below.

...

Shuck's ear twitched a little and he glanced, for a moment, out towards the harbor. He sighed a breath which came out sounding more like a growl, and turned back to his cards - a game of solitaire which he played with himself while Nyilas watched uneasily from beside the fire.

"That was their boat coming into port?" Nyilas said in his faded, Eaton accent.

"By the sounds of it, aye."

"What will you do?"

"Well, what you've told me is hardly easy to believe. I don't doubt your word, but getting mammals in authority to believe it might be tricky."

"No, I mean what will you do _now?_ "

"Oh. Not much I can do now, is there? I could, as a final act of desperation, throw myself at you across the room... but I think you're an alright mammal really, and you don't deserve the trauma of having to kill someone."

"I don't think I could pull the trigger - on anyone; for any reason. If you wanted to escape before the others came back, I couldn't stop you; shoot you."

"...what about your family?"

"Yes, I know." The professor spoke softly, gazing solemnly into the glowing coals of the iron stove. "It doesn't matter how much I love them, I could not bring myself to kill another."

"You may have to."

"I cannot! It goes against everything I stand for; everything I believe in."

Shuck watched Nyilas quietly for a few moments. "It's admirable," he said, "but..." The shaggy hound trailed off. It wasn't often Shuck found himself with nothing to say, but this situation was a difficult one for him to handle.

"What does it matter. I am dead all the same."

"No you ain't," Shuck shot, slapping his cards down and turning to the goat. "Now listen you good, 'cause there's a lot what needs to be said and naught much time to say it. There are some people in this world who are fighters and some who are flailers - some who give it their all and keep on giving it until there's no more to give, and some who fold up like a deckchair at the first touch of resistance. The way to win at this mockery of a game we find ourselves living in is to keep on pushing and keep on fighting with every last ounce of life you have in you - and it doesn't matter your age or you situation, there's always some way you can deliver life a swift knee in the face. So long as you've got the guts and grawl to go out and get it, there will always be the chance you'll come out on top."

"You and I are not the same, Sir," Nyilas said, "we are made of different stock. You are a brave man: a bold, strong individual; you rise above fear and pain; you have lived a life full of heroics and adventure. I am an old professor. I travelled the world, yes, but to study, not to actively 'work'. I looked at old buildings and broken pots, I've never had the stomach for heroics."

"Heroics? You call me a hero; I am nothing of the kind. I've lived through shit and survived - been tempered; hardened - nothing more. You speak about me as though I was born with nails in me mouth, don't you think I was ever scared?"

"It's hard to imagine _you_ scared of anything."

"First fright I ever got into, I was scared spineless. A mammal was coming at me with murder in his eyes, and I had about half a second to act before I was dead on t' floor. I could've collapsed to the floor and lay their begging for mercy, but I didn't. I stood up, and I looked him in the eye, and I did exactly what I had to do to come out of it alive - even though it meant the death of a stranger."

"What are you trying to tell me, Mister Black?"

"That there's no shame in being afraid if somethin'. Running away, _that's_ shameful; being afraid of something is nothing more than natural."

The goat sighed quietly, gazing at nothing as he processed what he was hearing.

"Besides," Shuck added, "with the kind of mammal you're up against, you'd be a fool not to be scared."

The door then swung open and George stepped in. "Well, gramps," he said, addressing Nyilas, "the ship is in and the crew are getting ready to unload the stuff. You'd best get out there and watch over things."

...

In another part of the city, a low gray car pulled up alongside the front of a two-star café. The establishment was old and a little run down, but was decent enough to fulfil its function.

The rabbit stepped out onto the pavement. He looked upon the sign, written in gold-leaf above the door: _'Joe's Place'_. He sucked his teeth, turned back to lock his car, and made inside.

The brass bell clinked cheerfully as the door swung open and the friendly-looking gazelle behind the counter who greeted the solemn-featured rabbit warmly. "Hi," she said, brightly, "welcome to Joe's Place! I'm Sophie. You here for some dinner?"

"Later, thanks," Jack said, "I'm just waiting for a friend for now; she'll be along later."

"Great! When are you expecting her?"

"Couple of hours from now, I should think."

"Oh, erm... I'm not really meant to let people sit if their not~ "

"I'll take a coffee," he said, putting money on the counter, "shaken, not stirred."

"Okay, great. Feel free to take a seat."

Rather than comply, the striped rabbit turned to face the windows looking down the street and lent back on the counter while the female behind him poured out a cup of steaming coffee. She stared down at the cup of black. _Shaken not stirred?_ She glanced up at Jack's back, stared down at the cup of coffee for a moment more, blinked, and then just handed it across the counter. "Here you go...!"

"Thanks," he said, not moving to take it, "leave it on the counter; I'll drink it when it's cooled."

Jack lent back against the counter and looked about the place while the gazelle wiped some glasses with a cloth and eyed him somewhat sceptically. _Whole place could do with being ripped up,_ he decided. _The wood's sturdy enough but it's wearing, the walls are showing signs of damp and by the smell of things, the ventilation here's from sometime in the Renascence._

"Suppose you heard about the death a few blocks up from here?" she said, putting aside her slight mistrust and just trying to get along.

"No," Jack said, still not turning, "must've slipped me by."

"Well," she continued, knowing this rabbit was less than interested but having to find some way of occupying herself, "there was an armadillo who died of a drug overdose in that apartment block not far from hear this morning."

Jack examined his nails. "Is that so."

"Yeah, quite a young boy two. His aunt was actually the landlady, so I hear."

" _Hmm_."

"I feel sorry for that young rabbit who was renting that apartment.

 _It couldn't be... surely?_ "A rabbit policemammal, you say?" he asked, turning.

"Erm, yeah," she answered, surprised that he had actually shown an interests, "you know, that Hopps lady - the famous one who was in the news a couplea years back."

"Judith Laverne Hopps?"

"I... yeah?"

"What time is it?"

"Quarter past three? Why?"

Jack turned and left. "I'll be back later."

"Hey," she called, holding his drink out towards the retreating Savage, "what about your coffee?"

"Donate it to the poor!"

The bell clinking a second time, Jack Savage left the building.


	54. The Impending…

Nature's first green is gold,  
Her hardest hue to hold.  
Her early leaf's a flower;  
But only so an hour.  
Then leaf subsides to leaf,  
So Eden sank to grief,  
So dawn goes down to day  
Nothing gold can stay.

\- Nothing Gold Can Stay -  
\- By Robert Frost -

* * *

This poem is not intended to reflect the chapter. It's for something quite different and infinitely more important. Only one of you - perhaps two - will understand what I'm really saying.

* * *

A black police cruiser pulled to a stop beneath the overbearing shadows of the Zootopia Police Department Headquarters. The sound of the engine echoed through the cold silence for a few seconds, then all fell deathly silent. The doors opened an instant later and its occupants disembarked, their bear feet stepping onto the chill tarmac of the car park.

The occupants of the car - the rabbit and the fox - caught one anther's eye as they stepped out of the car. The fox nodded; the rabbit managed a weak smile. They shut the doors and paced away, making towards the back entrance into the ZPD.

Nick paced on ahead to enter the code into the keypad by the door. Judy paused for a moment and gazed up at the stars. It was going to rain again. There was pressure in the air already.

With a sharp buzz from the keypad the door clicked as the lock slid across to allow the door to be opened. Glancing behind him, the fox gave the rabbit a small smile of reassurance before pushing the door open and stepping inside.

Inside was dark and cold - this part of the HQ not often used and so no longer heated to save money, and the sensor which should have turned on the light apparently broken. The duo made on silently through the darkness, not saying a word as the reception area came into view

The lights were on in the ZPD foyer and heating apparently on, so the area was well-illuminated and warm. The silence was no less unsettling though. Nick paused in the doorway to look about for any signs of life; Judy paced towards the empty receptionist's desk.

"Where do you think Clawhauser went to?" she said.

"Don't know," Nick said, pacing in behind her, "but there's a note on the desk. What's it say?"

Judy spotted the slip of paper and picked it up. "It just says, 'Come at once.' "

"That all it says?"

"It's in Bogo's handwriting - the type he uses when he's in a hurry - I'd guess the note's meant for us rather than Claw otherwise he would've taken it up with him. The Chief must be in his office, waiting for us to come join him."

"Makes seance," Nick said, taking the note and reading it himself, "he probably wants everything we have on the case so far."

"Where do you think everyone is? I've never seen this place so quiet."

"Best guess, they're preparing for the raid tonight. It is kind of a big deal, after all. Come on," he added, "we'd better find Bogo."

"I hadn't really thought about it," Hopps said, flatly, as she and Nick made up the corridor, "I read reports back at the academy about raids which had gone horribly wrong; examples of what improper planning unforeseen circumstances can lead to. Sometimes, I wish I just didn't know how badly things could go."

"Yeah, ignorance is bliss, or so they say."

"I mustn't let my worry get the better of me, though. I know it's silly."

"It's not silly. You've been distracting yourself from thinking about tonight by focusing on the here and now, but now that 'that time' is becoming the here and now, it's becoming impossible to think of anything else."

Judy gazed down at the floor as she walked. Bogo's office came into view.

"You're brave, Carrots, but to make it thought tonight, you need your fear. It'll keep you sharp; keep your energy up; keep you checking the shadows and watching your back. I know. Fear alone kept me alive for many long years."

"You're saying I should embrace my fear?"

"It's an asset - and an ally - if handled correctly. Just remember that you control your fears

The rabbit chuckled, unhappily. "Remember when I used to say the only thing to fear was-"

"Fear itself? Yeah, I remember." Judy stopped at the door to Bogo's office and turned to face the fox. Smiling softly, Nick put a paw on the rabbit's shoulder and said: "How you've changed, Judy; how far you've come this past year; how you've matured."

She was still so young, after all, Nick thought, and already she's done more good for her surroundings - for her friends and this city - then I've ever done in all my long years on this earth.

"Come on," he said, nodding his head towards Bogo's office while the rabbit just smiled at him, "the sooner we get in there, the sooner we can get this done, and the sooner we can get safely back home."

Raising a paw, Judy tapped sharply upon the wood of Bogo's door thrice.

"In," a stern voice came from inside. Hopps and Wilde shared a glance, unsure of what to think of the terseness of Bogo's response. Stepping forwards, the rabbit pushed open the large door.

"Sir?"

"Hopps, come in. You too, Wilde."

The room inside was dark, illuminated only by what little light filtered into the room from the setting sun outside. In the darkness, the shape of a buffalo could be seen, sat with his head craned over a pile of papers on the desk. Stood just inside the door, Judy reached for the light switch.

"Leave it," Bogo injuncted, "I need to think. The light's distracting."

Judy's paw faltered and fell to her side. She and Nick took a step into the room. Sitting back from his paperwork, Chief Bogo eyed the fox and the rabbit with a cool, level stare. "We've had no word on the location of Victor Nyilas." Judy flinched back at the directness with which Bogo had addressed their prior failure. "Even if tonight is a perfect success, he may still slip by us."

"Sir," Judy said, softly, "I-"

"Take a seat, Miss Hopps." Judy did so. Bogo turned to the fox, who guessed the implication after a moment and sat on the chair beside Judy. Taking a breath, the buffalo acknowledged that it was darker than he had first thought - his mind having bee to preoccupied with his planning to notice the decent of the sun through the the sky - and flicked on the small lamp on his desk.

Nick and Judy turned innately toads the desk as the light was turned upon, seeing the pages of planning and paperwork the Chief had been working out. One page, only a little of which could bee seen, just enough to identify it - attracted the rabbit's attention more than the others. It was the 'Application for Police Learning and Development Program (IPLDP), leading to Level 3 Diploma in Policing (QCF) training for promotion to Detective Inspector' for she had seen earlier - the form Bogo had showed them earlier, with the suggestion that he'd send one of for Nick and herself if they managed to get enough evidence to support a warrant.

This feat they had achieved, yes... but that was before they had lost their key suspect, and now the rabbit wouldn't be surprised if all hopes of Bogo actually offering them this promotion had been dashed.

Bogo's noticed what Judy was gazing at with a look of bereavement and his face, very subtly, softened. "Hopps," he said, "even the best of us will loose a suspect occasionally. Don't worry, you and Wilde are still under consideration for this training program."

Judy's expression brightened a little; then Bogo's face returned to its impassive, rock-like appearance his scowl returned. "Provided you make up for your prior mistakes, of course."

"But sir, we-"

"Loosing Nyilas was a severe blow in terminating this gang. If we had captured the kingpin, then perhaps we could have shut down this entire operation tonight. As it stands, we must settle with the knowledge we have about Erkin Electrical." Sitting forwards, the buffalo's face became a shadow as dark as his voice. "I trust you have what we need?"

"We do, sir," Judy said, not frightened by Bogo's dominating posture as she once might have been, but wise enough to know to just answer him directly and not to argue.

"And what form does that take?"

"The abnormalities in the paperwork we uncovered during our investigation at Registry House, and some photographs I took of some illegal substances I took from inside Erkin while Ni- Officer Wilde distracted the workers."

"You mean you directly engaged with the operatives of this gang?"

"Yeah," Nick said, "under the guise of two, shall we say, 'inspectors' who had a very urgent need to look about the place. We bundled our way in the place and I kept things busy while Hopps here did the dirty work."

"And did they suspect?"

"No, sir."

"Well," Bogo said after a pause, "we'll just have to see about that, won't we?"

"Sir, I-"

"Now that's enough. Obviously I would ask a complete run-down of everything you found there, but time is pressing, and I need to take steps towards getting this warrant sanctioned. Miss Hopps, e-mail any pertinent photographs to my work e-mail, and give me a short overview of anything important."

"There were around thirty of them," Judy said, pulling out her phone, "of a variety of species but all around the middle-size range. The one in charge who we saw appeared to be a beaver, though there was mention of a Mister Bains who we didn't see but is, apparently, the one who's really in charge there."

"Good work," he said, penning down notes. "Did you see any suspicious lingering outside? Any signs of what could be a watch set up?"

"Nobody we saw, sir."

"Any munitions?"

"Yeah, SMGs. Enough to arm everyone we saw there."

"I see. What kind?"

"Erm~ "

"MP5s," Nick said. "The standard, nine millimeter submachine gun by Heckler & Koch with a sliding stock. They all looked pretty new and hey all looked like they were one standard size - which would explain why all the mammals we saw there were all around medium size."

Bogo took down the notes without comment; yet Hopps turned to Nick with surprise and some little awe. "You got all that from a photograph?"

"Standard specs of that model," Nick said with a shrug.

"Enough idle chat," Bogo said, standing slowly, "has the e-mail been sent yet?"

"Oh, erm... yes sir."

"Good," said Bogo. Leaning back towards his desk, he pushed a button on his intercom. "Clawhauser?"

"Yes, Chief?

"Hopps is back. She should have just sent a few photographs to my work e-mail. Get those printed off, will you?"

"On it."

Bogo stood upright once again and made to make egress from the room, calling over his shoulder to Nick and Judy: "You two, with me."

Hopps and Wilde shared a glance for a moment then hurriedly pulled themselves to their feet as the Chief of police left the room. Hurrying to catch up behind him, Judy asked: "So where is Claw right now, anyway? We missed him at the reception."

"Clawhauser was stood by in the printing room for your return. Right now, he'll be printing off those photos you took. It just saved a little time having him on standby."

"You had him stood there waiting for us to get back? Why?"

"We had no idea when you'd be getting back. Since we're on such a tight schedule and since getting this warrant is of such high priority, I thought it best to eliminate all sources of delay."

"If it's such high priority, why not send a more experienced office to-"

"Sir," Nick cut in, "where actually are the rest of the officers?"

"Waiting down in the bull pen, Wilde."

"Waiting for what?" he asked, though Nick felt he knew the answer and it wasn't one he liked - hence why he had been willing to interrupt Judy to say it.

"Hopps and yourself," Bogo answered. "I need the two of you to run through the plans with the men - the notes are already on my desk down there - and give them an overview of anything they-"

"Wait! Sir... what!?"

Bogo and Wilde both stopped turned to Judy, who had stopped at the start of the Chief's answer and was now glance between the fox and buffalo with a look of worry.

"What do you mean 'run through the plans'?"

Nick noticed Judy's panic by the sudden erectness of her ears and the smallness of her pupils. It was clear she was in some way distressed by the idea, and the fox didn't like the way Bogo's response to her worry was a small grin.

"Those are you orders, Office," the Chief said, coolly. "I must shortly leave here to make my statement to the magistrate to have them sign and legitimize a warrant to raid the premises of Erkin Electrical. While I'm attending to that matter, it will be your and Wilde's responsibilities to ensure all the relevant facts are distributed to your fellow officers."

"But that's, like... that's more the kind of job the top brass would deal with! Not two Officers who are only just in their second year of surface. Why don't you want Higgins or McHorn take over?"

"Because I am not asking Higgins or McHorn to do this. In fact, I'm not asking anyone, I'm telling you that this is what is to happen."

"Chief," Nick said, trying his best to help Judy's argument, "Hopps and I... we haven't been properly trained or informed to handle a situation like this. It's unfair of you to-"

"Life is unfair," Bogo said. "Not only is it unfair, but it is unpredictable also. If you truly believe you're ready - if you want me to believe you're ready - for advancement to Detective Inspector, you have to prove to me that you can adapt and handle difficult stations quickly, and judiciously. Police work isn't just about looking for clues and chasing bad guys. Your ability - your whole effectiveness as an Officer - is only as good as the Officers you have around you, and your relationships with them."

"So you're gonna through Hopps and me in the deep end-?"

"And see if you sink or swim, yes."

A thin smile on his lips, Bogo turned away and started back down towards the bull pen. Nick remained still as the flustered rabbit caught up to him and whispered to him - Bogo out of earshot.

"What is with him?" she whispered, "Did we do something to upset him? Is this his payback?"

"You're feeling the stresses," Nick said, "is it so hard to believe he is too? Besides, he has a point."

"We can't do this, Nick. I can't do this!"

"Just take it easy, Hopps," Nick soothed, aware Judy was working herself into a state, "just calm down and-"

"How can I calm down? You know what the other officers think

Nick's expression staled. "Hey, they're not all like that. Besides, you can still trust them all, remember? It's just it might take them a little time to accept-"

"To accept instructions from a rabbit, yeah!" Hopps crossed her arms and breathed heavily. They were going to make a mockery out of her; she could already see it. "They're not gonna listen to me, you know? They just won't listen, or they'll complain, or-"

Nick tried to take Judy's paw. "Hopps-"

"Bogo," Judy called up the corridor, the bull pen now visible at the end of the corridor, "you sure you won't reconsider?"

"I have."

"And?" she said, hopefully.

"I came to the same conclusion; You, bull pen, now!"

"But sir," Judy called, almost desperate, "I... I'm not cut out to this!"

"Maybe not... but I'm sure Wilde has more than enough lingual tact to come up with something stirring."

"But, the other officers, they don't; they won't-"

Bogo turned on his heals. "They won't what?" Bogo held Judy's gaze for a long moment, his face stony and impassive. "Won't accept orders from a rabbit? Is that what you were about to say?"

Judy hesitated. She knew better than to try to pull up one of Bogo's officers in front of him.

"Miss Hopps," he continued, coldly, "were you about to imply that the officers - my officers - might succumb to petty hesitated?"

Hopps shifted from foot to foot. "I, erm-"

"Of course they're going to be prejudicial!" he shot, "Just as I was prejudicial, and Wilde was prejudicial. You proved the worlds most cynical con-mammal and a moody Chief of Police wrong and now - if you want to advance in the ranks; if you want the trust and respect of the other officers - you have to prove them wrong in turn."

Judy stared up at Bogo at this almost furious outburst.

"I hear the mutterings," he said, "I'm not blind to how some of them ignore you, but this case - in which you have already had more risk and more success in than the rest of them combined - is you chance to grab every one of them by the scruff of the neck and rub their faces in the dirt."

Hopps stared up at Bogo for a long moment, lost for words. "I... urh-"

"Rubbing faces in the dirt isn't your style?" he said, calming down, "I gathered as much. But it's the only way you'll get them to respect you - belie me, I know. The fight to be accepted just because of your species didn't end just because you made it to being an Officer. There are still people working here who believe you're not fit for the job. Prove them wrong. Make me proud."

Bogo turned again and stepped up square with the door to the bull pen, his hand reaching out to the door handle.

"Sir, wait," Judy said, jogging to catch up with the buffalo with Nick close behind, "just one more thing: what do I do if they don't listen? If they won't accept instructions from a rabbit?"

"You put them in their place. You've seen how I've handled them this past year, you just do the same."

"B - but I can't do all the shouting and being menacing you can; I just, I don't - I just wish I wasn't feeling so-"

"Nervous? Scared? Don't worry. I've seen you in action. Once you get in there and you sink your teeth in, it'll all come naturally; you won't even know it's happening."

Judy stared down at the floor, her head rushing and her heart beating in her mouth. She could already hear the room full of mammal on the other side of the door waiting - waiting not for her, but for the instructions of a mammal they knew and trusted, and whose authority they recognized.

The Chief of Police gazed sternly at the rabbit. "Face it, Hopps," he said, dryly, "you're not in a Disney film anymore."

"...what?"

"Now get in there, and show them who's boss." Without a word further, the door to the bull pen was pushed open, and Bogo stepped inside.

* * *

I may not have a chapter for you next week. If you have any wits, you can work out why by the poem at the start.

Smail.


	55. Show Them Whose Boss?

The officers of the Zootopia Police Department sat quietly at their desks in the bull pen of the ZPD headquarters. The room was lit with a clean, white light - the sun now set to the point that it no longer lit the room sufficiently on its own. Some among the room full of officers made quiet conversation with one another - though most were silent; a stark juxtaposition to the usual rowdiness and noise the bull pen was normally throbbing with. They knew their fate; they knew the hour - all that could be done now was to wait for what was to come; to hear the words of their Chief.

Officer Wolfard - a beige-gray timber wolf with a patch of white around his muzzle which continued down the long fur at the front of his neck - sat forwards at his desk somewhere near the middle of the room, and lent his head on his hands.

The wolf breathed slowly yet deeply as he tried to control the rate of his heart. He was nervous - but then, so was everyone else - even Officer McHorn, one of the largest and longest-serving Officers. With the strongest sense of smell in the room, Wolfard could smell the fear in the air. He could feel his senses sharpened and his nose more attune to the subtle chances of the scent of the room. It made life seem much more real somehow; reminded him how fragile it was; how easy to loose.

Aside from Hopps and Wilde, Wolfard was one of the newest officers in the Precinct; he was also one of the youngest - younger than Wilde by about three years - and, while he had been in police raids in the past, this was the first time he (or many of them) ever been on a raid of this magnitude.

McHorn had told the others stories of what it was like to serve as an officer back when The Firm was alive and kicking. The rhino was one of the few officers still serving in Precinct One who had also been a part of cleaning up Tundratown from The Krays; back then, an officer would be killed in action literally once a month, and a raid on a suspect's post was more like open warfare.

In some ways, it made the wolf glad to know that they were being lead by Bogo - a mammal who had faced up with one of the toughest mobs Zootopia had ever seen and come out on top... but that didn't stop the air of tensions the whole room felt at the prospect of what was to come.

A piece of scrunched up paper bounced of the wolf's shoulder and landed on the table. Wolfard turned to Fangmeyer, who was sat directly behind him. Fangmeyer nodded at him, then spoke.

"Wool," he said, "d'you think the puppet parade will be back in time?"

Wolfard twisted around in his chair to speak. The thrown piece of paper hadn't been used offensively - just a way of getting his attention quietly. "Course they'll be here, Fang. You know what those two are like."

"Right, but they did loose that teacher guy."

"We've lost leads before too."

"But he was like... what, seventy?"

"Look, I know they're small and new, but they have been a lot of use to-"

"They have uses, yes," McHorn cut in from the front, the room falling silent at his voice, "but those uses end when the sneaking around and filling out paperwork stops and the 'real' policing begins. They have the whits and the speed to be valuable auxiliaries, I admit, but they don't nearly have the size or the strength to handle head-on opposition."

The room was silent for a few, cold moments - the majority of the officers (the older and more senior of them) agreeing with this statement; and the few who thought otherwise being too young and junior to want to risk standing up to the rhino.

"Look at it this way," McHorn said, "so far in this investigation Hopps and Wilde have looked about at a burnt down building, searched trough a run-down apartment which they failed to find anything in, looked up some paperwork in Reg' House, and failed to apprehend a seventy-two-year-old professor! Meanwhile it's _us_ who have been doing the real legwork - the tracking down criminals and making the arrests."

"You say that," Wolfard said quietly, every pare of eyes turning on him with surprise, "but... didn't Hopps and Wilde get assigned to go undercover inside-"

"Yeah," McHorn said, hotly, "but I bet you thirty Bogo doesn't assign them to be a part of the initial encounter. I bet you he puts them somewhere near the back where they're not in harms way. The Chief knows where their abilities ends, and he'll never put them in a situation where they directly risk their lives."

" _They have risked their lives,_ " Wolfard muttered to himself, knowing better than to argue, " _you just refuse to see it because it's not in the 'traditional' way_."

...

In the prep room adjacent to the bull pen, Chief Bogo paced smartly up to the wooden door that lead into the room where the rest of the ZPD were waiting. Leaning up against the door, the buffalo listened to the officers inside, just as McHorn was starting to criticize Hopps' and Wilde's presence there.

Bogo sniffed. His officers were professional and trustworthy mammals, and they had all learnt to live with the fact that a rabbit and a fox were now formally recognized as police officers. They had all learnt to accept that Hopps and Wilde _were_ fellow officers and that they _were_ just as effective at maintaining the peace as the rest of them; they had all grown to accept that they were now just as much a part of the ZPD as they all were, and they had all come to accept that they were just as deserving of all the praise, respect and mutual assistance as even the longest-serving members.

They had all grown to _'accept'_ these things... but that didn't mean they had all grown to _'like'_ it. One of them in particular still openly voiced their somewhat negative thoughts about having either a fox or a rabbit working in the ZPD - albeit on very rarest of occasions... now.

Turning back form the window, Bogo faced the two mammals stood behind him. "Ready?" he said.

Startled, worried, Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde shared a nervous glance, but before they could speak in response, Chief Bogo had already pushed the large door open and stepped out, appearing before the room full of officers through the door at the fount.

"Alright," he said, "let's keep this brief. Now, I don't want any lip, or any arguments, but as you're all aware, I must leave here almost instantly to visit the courthouse to have this warrant verified. In my absence," he added, guesting towards the doorway he had emerged from, "Officers Hopps and Wilde will be _in charge_ of furnishing you with your instructions."

Judy and Nick entered the room slowly, glancing about at the officers as their voices called out in either surprise or concern, with both fox and rabbit feeling like they'd be more comfortable stood in front of a firing squad right now. Metaphorically, they were.

"Quiet down, all of you," the Chief called out over the other officers, "you're to follow their instructions and directions until I get back in roughly forty-five minutes. Their orders are my orders up until that time."

The voices of the officers called out again as Hopps and Wilde took up position behind Bogo - this time much louder, and this time every voice which called out was doing so very clearly in complaint; not just in confusion.

"And I do _**not,**_ " he shouted, "want to hear about _**any**_ insubordination when I get back!"

"Chief," McHorn called out, "those two are the newest Officers here! Standard procedure dictates that if the Chief of police is unavailable, it will be the next most seiner officer who takes charge. I am most senior next to you."

"McHorn," Bogo said, "that's enough."

"And so it should be my responsibility, as the longest-surviving officer here, to-"

"McHorn! I said that's enough."

The rhino looked into the stern eyes of the one mammal who could silence him. There was silence for one moment, and then, Officer McHorn backed down.

"Now... if I had time, I would make it very clear to each and every one of you that you _**are**_ to follow your junior officer's orders until I get back and make you all see that this is not a matter of favoritism, merely necessity. However, other things are more important right now, so I will have to trust that you are willing to corporate fully and professionally with Officers Hopps and Wilde."

The voices rose again in dislike of the idea, but Bogo spoke right through it.

"And when I return at approximately half past three, I expect you all to not only be fully suited up in tactical armor, but thoroughly informed as to the situation as well."

"But sir, we-"

"I have spoken, Rhinowitz, and I do not intend to speak any further." And with that dramatic statement, the towering form of Chief Bogo marched down the aisle and loftily exited the room, every officer turning in their seats to watch as the door swiftly opened and then shut again.

Moments passed as the sound of Bogo's footsteps echoed down the hall and then, slowly - almost painfully - every pare of eyes turned back around to the front of the room... and fixed, unmovingly, on _Nick_ and _Judy_.

The silence dragged on. Second after second, with the clock on the wall unhelpfully marking every single second of Judy and Nick's failure to say a thing. All the while, the other officers were staring at them blankly, as Hopps and Wilde stared back.

Judy took a small step forwards, trying to control the shaking of her hand; trying to control the shaking of her voice. " _I,_ " she started, very weakly, "I'd like to s - say..."

Her nerves giving out on her, the small rabbit - by far the smallest animal in the room - blew out a breath of shaking air as she raised a paw to cover her face, her ears dropping behind her head, her other paw clenching into a fist of worry, and her expression becoming tight with tension.

Nick bit down on his lip. Hopps was a great conversationalist, but he knew full well public speaking was one of her fears when it was off the cuff, and doubly so when it was to a group of seniors. For Wilde's part - though he hid it behind a lazy stare of indifference - he was just as terrorized; perhaps more so. He knew he wouldn't be able to speak even if he tried; so he didn't try.

Nick knew his limits. He could con them into believing he was confident about all this, sure... but right now, conning them wasn't enough; conning them wasn't the point. The point was, they had some serious information they had to convey, and to blag it was not an option. It could be fatal for any one of them if that information was mishandled or misunderstood... and the fox didn't trust his lying tongue not to twist its meaning.

Judy brought up her other paw to hide her reddening face, still not saying a word. Nick's ear raised - she was speaking, softly - only loud enough so he could only just hear it. " _I can't do this,_ " she muttered to herself, her head burrowing deeper into her hands, " _I can't do this, I can't do this."_

"Of course you can do it," Nick breathed to her, softly. Judy's ear raised slowly towards him, and then her face rose out of her hands and she turned to meet his gaze. "I believe in you, Carrots."

Turning back to the officers, the rabbit tried again. "What... what I'm trying to say... _is_ ~ "

The amassed officers watched in silence as the rabbit continued in her efforts to speak, all painfully aware of the fact that she was starting to tear up. But she was fighting on despite those threatening tears, and a couple of them, they had to admit (if only to themselves)... they had to respect her for that strength.

Nick gazed upon their expressions, surprised and perhaps a little elated by the looks of genuine concern on the majority of their faces. There was one exception which stood out the most, though... and Nick Wilde fixed a stern gaze on McHorn, resenting everything about the smug grin slowly growing on his face as Judy - his lover - fought with the pressure of the moment.

 _There was something about this moment the rabbit knew. It was the emotion._ What was it? _She knew what the emotion was, of course, but there was something else. Something about the_ scenario _she recognized. The emotion that made her heart pound; the feeling that made hot blood pump through her veins and made her breaths puff from her like an express steam train; the scene that darkness lurked behind every corner, and every corner hid danger._

She recognized the emotion - recognized the moment. The emotion, it was... it was~

...

Fear. A hot fear which shot down the spine and stopped the lungs.

 _The room was dark and smelled of popcorn. The gentle chatter of voices could be heard, spoken by invisible mouths; faces, hidden in the darkness; out of sight; out of reach._

 _Treachery._ An edgy uneasiness which made the ears pop; made your jaw clench and your teeth grind.

 _Her mother would be there. Her father too, probably. Actually, most of the locals were more than likely going to attend. She could hear some of them, from behind a sheet of thick curtain._

 _ **Bloodlust**_. An uncontrollable, biological urge to maim, and maul, and...

 _She had played this once before -_ the act; the performance - _the part of a police officer. Many years ago now, back when she was little. She remembered it._ Remembered... how to act.

" _Okay... okay, okay, okay, you can do this. Just, come on. Come on!_ **Come on!** "

The stage curtain parted and Judy Hopps stepped out into the light. Her audience was tall and wide, and sat in the darkness as they looked towards her. Every face she looked upon the rabbit recognized - her mother, her father, her brothers and sisters.

The idea of acting in a play before a throng of faces she had known all through her childhood had terrified the young rabbit to start with, but she immersed herself in the moment and pushed the fear away. She didn't have to be afraid. This was her family. And these people - these Officers - these were her family just the same. They would learn to accept her as she was... as her biological family had grown to accept how she was. All she needed to do... was...

 _...act._

"Officers!" she shouted out to the room, making every mammal in there jump by the sudden volume of her voice. The rabbit hadn't meant to start off so loud, but that didn't stop her - she'd found her feet; she had her momentum; and she wasn't going to stop. "This is it," she said, her voice suddenly steady and clear, "this is the moment we've been waiting for. We've got the upper hand on them for once, and we are not going to lose it now. We will have justice for all those lives which have been ruined by their evil plot, and we will not be stopped. Tonight's the night we bring the fight to our enemy, and we will show them no mercy! Officer Wilde, please hand me the plans on the desk."

Nick was as stunned by this sudden outburst just as everyone else in the room was, and just stared at the rabbit with his mouth slightly open while she turned to him.

"Officer Wilde - the plans, please."

"Yes, Officer... Officer Hopps." Reaching up onto the desk, Wilde took up a small file of papers which had been reprinted for a mammal of their size to handle. He passed it to Judy - still a little too taken aback to allow himself to speak - who took the plans smartly and skimmed through the contents.

"Okay," she said, reading, "...in so far as we can tell from the blueprints, the precipices of Erkin Electrical has three standard exits. The first Point of Entry - the front door - is the means by which the majority of the officers will gain entry to the building at the start of the raid. The second POE - the back alley located on the other side of the building - is where the majority of the suspects will likely, then, try to escape out of. It is vital that the alley be properly guarded in the event of this. The final POE shouldn't be too much of a worry. It's a standard, industry fire escape staircase bolted to the outside of the building - as all buildings in the industrial sector have been designed to have. However, due to its small size and advanced state of disrepair it would very likely collapse if any mammal larger than a small wolf tried to access it. Any questions so far?"

There was some soft mumblings from the amassed officers between one another, but none of them appeared to want to say anything too openly. McHorn looked as though he was about to say something for an instant but, with a glance in Wilde's direction, he reconsidered, and remained quiet.

Nick kept his firm gaze held on the rhino. Wilde knew it wouldn't hold McHorn off arguing if he wanted to, but it was enough to keep him quiet for now at least.

"Erh, Hopps," came a voice from near the middle, "you've been inside the place. How big actually is it? What's the layout?"

"Thank you, Wolfard," she said with a smile. "The work area itself is only actually one large room - with a couple of crates which have been transformed into office space and a portaloo The first POE enters into a reception with a single exit down a long corridor which runs in parallel to the road outside and exits out into the work area. The corridor is large enough that two large-sized mammals could walk down side-by-side without getting in the way of one another."

"Okay. Thanks."

"No problem. While we were in their, Officer Wilde also noticed a few details about the mammals who were working in the establishment - he had more contact with them than I. Perhaps... Wilde, would you like to take over?"

"Erh... thanks _!_ Well, erm... while we were in - inside the building I, erh... I had more contact with them than Judy so I - I was able to notice a few details about... about the, erm. But, I mean... Hopps just told you that, so... _yeeaaahhhhh_."

"Well that was stirring," Rhinowitz muttered, just quiet enough for _everyone_ to hear.

Nick cleared his dry thought. "So, erm... so, there seemed to be, like, thirty or so mammals working there, and they all seemed fairly in shape, which is to be expected, I guess, given their job. So it's important you all remember that when we're rushing in their together. And those tools of their could easily be used as a weapon of they needed to - especially the welding kit; watch out for that if it's turned on full blast."

"Now tell them about the guns," Judy said.

"I was _going_ to tell them!" Nick huffed, feeling unusually out of place giving a speech in a real, _legitimate_ company and _not_ having to make the whole thing up as he went along. "So yeah, the guns... the guns are by far the biggest concern. There was a big crate in the center of the work area, and inside that was another crate with enough guns to arm everyone we saw working there."

"If somethings goes wrong," Judy interrupted, reading from the sheet, "and they manage to arm themselves, all officers are to vacate the area immediately, retreat to a safe distance, and lock down that sector of the industrial area."

"Right," said Nick, "MP5s are most effective at close range, room to room combat; so if they arm themselves and we stay inside, we'll be fighting on their terms. It's important, if we need to, that we pull back quickly and take away their edge and most of their advantage of the type of weapon they're using. But, of course, we're not gonna need to do that, because by the time realize what's going on, they'll already be in cuffs, in the back of a van, and on the way to Fort Knox. Right, guys?"

"Yeah," called one officer enthusiastically, expecting a chorus of 'yeah's to be called out with him... the officer then paled... and moved on to regret his leaving the house that morning.

"Yeah... so. Honestly, though," Nick continued, "the whole point the raid was arranged for five was because it's the standard time work ends for the day - not just for the darker sky. It'll put them off their guard. They'll be congratulating themselves for a good days work and thinking about what they'll have for dinner - and then, _bamb_! - we're in."

"Also," Hopps added, pulling something from her pocket, "when we left, I actually held onto the key to the crate. When we get there, if they look for it, all their gonna do is work themselves into a blind panic as they search."

"So the delay of them being about to leave," Nick concluded, "and then their panicked look for a key which isn't there, should stop them actually getting their hands on any weapons until long after we're in. So long as theirs no unnecessary delays."

"Not that you can _trust_ Wilde here to know what he's talking about when it comes to real-life combat," McHorn quipped smugly from near the front of the room. "Foxes may be good at stitching lies together," he added with a smirk, "but in real-life combat they're-"

"Officer McHorn," Judy interrupted crisply, "kindly desist in making speciest remarks towards Officer Wilde."

"Why?" he mocked, "Because he's your _boyfriend_?!"

Nick gagged. Judy flinched, but knew he had just made the comment to try and goad her - that he had no idea that they really _were_ lovers - and fought back the urge to scream at him and throw a table in his direction.

Instead, she took a breath and calmed herself, and when she felt she was composed and ready, she spoke. "No," she said, and her voice was so calm and quiet, that every smug grin in the room started to fall. "No, not because we're 'lovers' or something... because Wilde is your fellow officer in the ZPD, and you have a duty of care to respect him. There is no place for prejudiced in this department, and if you insist on a continued policy of non-cooperation, I will have to ask you to leave."

"Ask me to leave? _Hah_! You far overstep your boundaries, Hopps. You can't ask me to leave. You don't have _anything_ like that kind of authority over me."

"Actually," Hopps said, her voice suddenly taking on an oddly threatening edge, "as per the instructions of the Chief of Police... that's _**exactly**_ what I have."

McHorn stared at her - not only angered but also clearly taken aback by the revelation.

Judy smiled, brightly. "I just wanted to make that matter clear form the offset."

Nick glanced from rabbit to rhino, his brow raising. _She was enjoying this power..._ he noticed... _perhaps a little too much?_ Still, he couldn't blame her - not after all the thousands of hours she'd put into this place; after everything she'd had to put up with from the rest of the officers.

Turning away from the still gawping rhino, Judy turned back down to the plans of the operation, as typed up by the Chief of police.

"Now, a few more details on how we'll be handling the three Points Of Entrance in the raid. The first POE is self explanatory - we rush in, and take control of the situation. All officers will be involved in the initial raid, except those who are expressly stated to be doing otherwise. The third POE - the outside fire escape - are to be guarded by..." Hopps faltered as she read on ahead, taken aback momentarily by the presence of her own name.

"Will be guarded by Officers Hopps and Wilde, as these are the only officers who can utilize the staircase safely, while the weight of any other officer would compromise its structural stability. It is possible a mammal too large to use the staircase safely might try to attain egress from the building in such a manner - resulting in the collapse of the staircase and, more than likely, the serious injury of death of the individual - and, while it would be an enmity of police policy to risk the lives of officers for the sake of safeguarding the lives of potential escaping criminals - it will be their duty to attempt to stop any fleeing mammals who try to take this escape rout. Height-safety harnesses will be issued to Officers Hopps and Wilde in the unfortunate case of the staircase collapsing.

"It is, of course, possible that there may be alternative exits to the building which were not on the blueprints, but may work as a rat run - no offense to rats - between buildings internally. In the instance that such turns out to be true, Officers will act quickly to sanction off the entire street and will usher the workers of the other companies quickly out of harms way and before live hostages can be taken. These workers must be able to prove their identity as workers for a company 'other' than Erkin before they can be given leave.

"Now," she continued, "last of the three POEs, the one we need to be most careful of, is the rear entrance to the alley. It's a narrow passageway - difficult to cover and observe, and impossible to track down a fleeing suspect in if they should escape this way. On account of this, we need two large mammals to guard the back entrance. Rhinowitz; McHorn, on account of your size and your domineering visual impact, this will be your responsibilities. Think you can handle it?"

"Course I an handle it," McHorn stated. "My question is, why should I?"

Judy slapped down the document onto the table. "Because that's what is needed to protect this city."

"Yeah? Cut the 'higher than thou' speech. That's what we _all_ signed up for. A nice speech doesn't give you nearly a fraction of the experience to be telling _us_ what to do; nor does being given a gold star by the Chief for being his favorite little officer give you any respect in the 'real' world."

Hopps shook her head, her expression tight. "I'm not claiming to be better or worse than anyone here - and you _know_ Chief Bogo is perfectly justified in his decision to put us in charge of the briefing."

"Justified in your mind," McHorn replied, "not in mine. What you're reading out now, any of us could read. You don't even need to be here."

"The success of any operation," Judy said, "depends solely on the preparation and foresightedness of the officers, and by the depth of the briefing, and the quality and extent of the organization they receive.

"And I say to you," McHorn said, standing, "that the level of practical knowledge and training you have so far received to deal with said 'preparation' and 'organization'... falls woefully short of the necessary minimum."

"Officer," said Hopps, "...would you please sit down and let us carry on with the briefing?"

Disobeying, McHorn lent forwards on his desk. "And why don't you leave _me -_ the officer with the experience here - to do what needs doing, and you go find some meters to maid?"

The ensuing silence crackled. The rhino and the rabbit's glares fixed on one another.

"Look," Nick said, stepping between them, "why don't we all just take a deep breath and-"

" **I can handle this!** _Thank you._ Wilde."

Nick backed out, raising his paws in surrender - he knew no mans' land when he saw it.  
 **  
**"Officer McHorn," Judy said, softly, "I will ask you once more. Please, will you sit down, and allow me to carry on briefing yourself, and your fellow officers, on how we will be proceeding with tonight's raid?"

"You say what you want," McHorn said with a condescending smirk, "all you are is just a stupid, dumb bu-"

Judy silenced McHorn with a look Nick knew. It was " _the look_." The look itself wasn't even directed at Wilde and yet he flinched back. McHorn's reaction was different. He looked blankly into the rabbit's warning gaze for a moment, and then... he started to chuckle.

"Oh you can frighten cubs and spineless foxes with that expression," he stated, nodding to Nick, "but don't expect that to have any impact on me."

" _ **Nick**_ is not spineless. And I will _not-"_

"Incidentally, has anyone noticed I spoke the _exact_ truth earlier? I said Bogo wouldn't put Hopps or Wilde anywhere near actual combat, and they haven't. They've been posted to guard a rusted staircase no mammal larger then a small wolf can use. I told you Bogo wouldn't put them anywhere near the real action."

"...get out of this room," Judy said, so softly.

" _Heh, heh..._ wait, what?"

"Officer McHorn," she said, gesturing to the door, " your comments so far have had no function other than to undermine my and my partner's authority. As acting Chief of Police for the moment, I will not stand for this continued insubordination. Now... get! _**Out!**_ "

McHorn stared at the rabbit for a long moment. He twitched, and grimaced at her and started, slowly, to get to his feat. "I'm... I'm not gonna sit here listening to this," he muttered to the room in general. "I'm leaving; just try and stop me."

"That's right," Nick breathed as the rhino paced away to the door... "you put any excuse for your going on that you want... you're still leaving the room because Carrots told you to."

No one spoke in the bull pen for several long seconds. Eventually, Judy stirred, and, watched by everyone, she slowly turned to the fox, her expression... troubled?

"N... Nick?" she said.

"Yes, Officer Hopps?"

The rabbit blinked at him as though dazed. "What... what actually just happened? Actually?"

"Okay," Nick said to the room of officers, a smirk quickly growing, "and back to the orders. Now, seeing as a certain rhino apparently won't be joining us, I'm gonna need, erh... Francine, you take up McHorn's position. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

Nick turned back to Judy, who was staring blankly into empty space with her face frozen in an expression of distant shock. "Hey, Hopps," he said, bringing her attention towards him from a million miles away, "you wanna sit down for a bit?"

"I... _yeah_."

"Go take a minute in the prep room," he said softly, pointing her towards the room they had came from. "We're pretty much all done here anyway."

"Thanks..."

Still looking dazed as McHorn had looked, the rabbit slowly turned and wondered from the room. Nick turned back to the officers before him, and did a sweep of the expressions - trying to get an idea of the general mood of the room towards him; what he was going to have to deal with now he was on his own.

For the most part, there was surprise. As far as he could see, there wasn't the expressions of newfound respect he had been hoping for by the end of this talk - but then, things hadn't exactly gone how he thought they would. It could go either way right now. Once the shock had worn off, their resolve to go against following his and Hopps' orders might rise up united against them... or, with luck, they would realize how strong Judy had been to stand up to McHorn like that - something none of the other officers had seen in a very long time - and band together on his and Judy's side.

There was, however, one clear exception to the average blank stare of stunned surprise... and Nick Wilde looked with a surprised expression of his own... at the wide grin, on the face, of Wolfard.

When Wolfard saw Nick looking, he winked at him, and shook his head in honest wonderment.

"Okay," Nick said, readdressing the room, "that about wraps things up over here. If there's anymore questions you can ask us later on - or Bogo when he gets back - so for now, you'd all best be on your way. Bogo'll be back in half an hour now, and he'll be expecting all of us suited up by then, so~..."

The room stared blankly at the fox. Nick glanced around at the faces, and realized what was missing. Clapping his paws together sharply, the room jolted back at the sound. "Well don't just sit there," Nick said, raising his voice in true Bogo-esque manner, "get on with it!"

With a start, the officers pulled themselves into motion - standing hurriedly from their chairs and making to leave the room through the door at the back.

Nick stood there grinning for a few seconds - watching as the room full of officers obeyed _his_ orders - then turned and made to leave also (but form the side door at the front) pausing with his paw on the handle; watching Wolfard out of the corner of his eye - if they had a supporter, it'd be very useful to know.

Wolfard stood slowly from his desk, still shaking his head as he tried to hold his laughter inside, turning away and pacing out of the room behind the rest of his fellow officers.

Nick grinned. _Could've gone worse_ , he thought... _if nothing else, we've made the Guinness world record for the smallest and youngest officer to kick out a hardened veteran out._

Pushing forwards on the door, Nick left the heavy silence and tensions of the rapidly emptying bull pen, and entered into the comparatively relaxed and calmly quiet refuge of the prep room.

Judy was sat quietly upon a chair in the corner; the fox's expression a warm smile as he sauntered up towards her.

"Well, Carrots," he said, "you sure showed McHorn who's bo-"

Leaping towards him with sudden energy, Hopps grabbed the startled fox around the neck and pulled him harshly into a deeply heated kiss. The fox was frozen for half a second, then his lips melted into the kiss - his tongue following close behind.

After seconds of hot bliss, Judy pulled herself back from the kiss. "Nick," she said, "that... _that_ was the most _amazing_ feeling I have ever felt in _all_ my life!"

"The... kiss?"

"The power. _The power!_ I told McHorn to get out and - and he did!" she said, her pitch almost painfully high. "Can you imagine? _**He**_ followed _**my**_ orders!"

Nick stared at her blankly. "You sure you didn't enjoy it a little _too_ much?"

"Come on, Nick," she said, taking him by the shoulders, standing on the chair to reach, "don't be like that. You and I have been waiting for over a _year_ now to be given even a _fraction_ of legitimate authority in this department."

"And our first act was to throw one of the ZPDs most experienced officers out? You sure Bogo'll approve when he finds out?"

"Oh, now, look. McHorn was _clearly_ culpable of misconduct and insubordination. He gave me no option but to have him removed from the room."

"Well then," the fox said, allowing his previously concealed smirk to grow, "looks like Bogo was right after all."

"How?"

"The moment it started and you got into the swing of things, you took total control of the situation, and didn't even realize it was happening. Just like Bogo said."

Judy grinned. "You think he'll be impressed?"

"I can't say he'll be all that happy with the fact we kicked McHorn out of the raid like that... but I'm sure he'll get over it."

"Did you see, Nick?" Judy giggled, almost wickedly, "Did you see some of the looks of fear on their faces when I kicked him out?!"

The fox raised a brow towards the rabbit, carefully; holding a skeptical gaze towards her.

"Ooh, admit it Nick," Judy chuckled, "you enjoyed having a little power and authority over the others _just_ as much as I did."

"Well," the fox said lightly, crossing his arms and gazing up at the ceiling, "it sure did make a nice change from being ordered around by the others all day and all night."

"And?"

"And... it was pretty great having a position of real consequence for a while, rather than just parking duty."

" _And~?"_

"And..." Nick said, his smirk growing... "and McHorn's expression as he walked out the door was the most _hilarious_ thing I've seen in a _long_ time!" he laughed. Judy joined in the laughter, and the two shared a long moment of simple happiness.

"The... the way he tried to~" the rabbit wiped a tear of laughter from her face as she tried to finish her sentence "~the way he tried to pretend that he was somehow 'rebelling' by leaving; not just following orders."

"Yeah," Nick chuckled, " ' _I'm leaving; just try and stop me_ '!"

The laughter redoubled and the room fulled with the sound of merriment. Slowly, though, the laughter started to fade. Judy sighed softly, a small smile on her face as she turned to face the fox.

"Nick," Judy asked, speaking softly as she sat back down, "what... what happened to us?"

The question caught Nick off guard. "What do you mean?" he said, leaning up against the wall; crossing his arms over his chest as he regarded her with a smile of his own.

"A week ago we were stuck chasing down minor law breakers and patrolling the city streets - good work, yes, but hardly career advancing - and that's just about all we've done for the most part of a year. Now we've kinda been given temporary command over the whole Precinct! What happened?"

Nick considered for a moment. "Even the very best of officers need the chance to prove themselves. Up 'til now, the city's been pretty clean and quiet - few murders, few robberies - but this drug spree, and the opportunities for advancement it's given _us_ , is what we needed to test our metal and for Bogo to see what we could do."

"Huh. You make this drug spree sound almost like a good thing."

"Kinda morbid, I know, but for _us_... I guess it is."

" _What!_ "

"Completely selfish and the wrong way to look at it, I know. And I'm not at all saying all those lives ruined is a good thing or is any way justified by our advancement, but..." Nick sighed, rubbing his brow... "but, look at it this way: if this gang had never struck - if crime had never come to this city - how would you and I get to do anything but fill out paperwork and parking tickets?"

"Well, I don't exactly like it, but... _yeah,_ I see your point."

"Paperwork doesn't get us promotions in this line of work. Face it, if this gang had never stuck, we could've been stuck on the lowest pay-grade for a long time to come."

"Not that it's the money that's important, right?"

"It is if you want us to raise a family together," Nick said, openly.

Judy gawped at the fox with her mouth dropping just a little.

A shy smile crept across Nick's muzzle - not an expression Hopps often saw on the fox's face - and he turned from her softly and started to pace towards the door out. "Come on, Carrots," he said to her, softly, "Bogo wanted _all_ of us armored up for the raid. Now, I don't exactly know what raid gear they'll be for mammals of our size, but we'd better take a look at least."

Judy stared after him as the fox opened the door and stepped out into the corridor, her attention still taken by what the fox had just said. "Rai - raise a family?" she breathed to herself.

"Hey, Hopps," Nick said, turning at the door, "you coming, or are you just gonna abandon me to face up to those other officers alone?"

Bringing her attention back to the moment, Judy lept up form the chair and made to follow him. "Never," she said, her smile returning, "I will _never_ abandon you. I might have abandoned my scenes _for_ you... but that's another matter."

Wilde smiled warmly down at the rabbit as she passed him in the doorway, watching as she glanced up down the corridor to check if they were alone and then, smiling softly, she pulled Nick's head down and kissed him sweetly on the cheek. "Whatever happens," she said, "I'll always be here for you."

"And I for you," Nick said in return... _I for you."_

Fox and rabbit held a loving gaze for a few, simple seconds. Then, pulling gently away, Judy started to pace down the long, gray corridor, with Nick following her contentedly just a few paces behind.

* * *

 _At a little over seven thousand words, this chapter now stands as, by some significant amount, the largest chapter of the story so far (the second now being chapter 19: The Rabbit and the Fox)._

 _Also, the use of the word "whose" in the title rather than "who's" for "who is" as it would normally be in the standard phrase, is entirely intentional._

Thanks for reading,  
Smail.


	56. Gearing Up

The room flared white with the flash of a digital camera. Adjusting the zoom, Jack Savage moved in a little closer to the jaw of the crumpled form of the corpus on the floor, awkwardly trying to operate the camera with his paws, while holding a phone against his ear with his elbow.

"You were right after all," he said darkly to the mammal on the other side of the phone, "there is something wrong with all this."

"I haven't had the chance to look for myself," came Bogo's grunted response, "but the facts themselves just didn't add up."

"Yeah," Jack said, turning about and taking a photograph of the smashed door handle, "why would a drug runner with access to the keys break into an occupied room of an apartment block where he knew full well, most of the time, he would have found a rabbit in the bed."

"There's only one logical conclusion," Bogo said, "...whoever broke in, was looking _for_ Hopps. Otherwise, no one would be fool enough to go in there when she normally would have been."

Savage sucked his teeth in through. "To what end?"

"I'm sure you can guess."

"You think the gang found out about their involvement with the investigation?"

"Unlikely - but possible. All precautions have been taken to avoid outside entities finding out, though, from what I've seen of them, this gang appears to be a clear cut above the average mob."

"Uh-huh. Who knows how this double-dealing, traitorous fiend learnt to be so cunning and cruel. Must've taken a page out of your guide on 'How to be a Police Chief', huh?"

"...you stand at the feet of a mutilated corps. How can you joke at a time like this!"

"Come on, Bogo," Jack said lightly, switching the phone to his other ear, "you know as well as I: we have to make light of serious situations like this; it's the only way to stay sane."

Bogo sighed. "Oh, very well. Just be sure you finish up soon - and photograph _everything_ \- the crime scene will be cleaned up first thing tomorrow morning."

"Yeah, yeah," Jack said, "I'm just about all done here anyway. Where... where will Hopps be sleeping tonight?"

"I didn't have time to mention it while we were together, but I've arranged residence for her in a safe house for a few days. I know her life hasn't been proven to be in direct danger yet, but she still needs a place to spend the night."

"You, erh... you think she'll even accept?"

"How do you mean?"

"Well..." thinking for a moment, the striped rabbit found a delicate way of putting it... "you heard as well as I the sounds they were making with each other around evening time last night ~"

The line was uncomfortably silent for a few seconds, then Bogo cleared his throat. "Anyway," he uttered, "the magistrate are returning. They just need one final word with the judge and I'll be heading back."

"They accept the evidence?"

"Of course. This is just a mandatory operation in the procedure."

"So, who's in charge of preparing the officers for the raid?"

"I put Hopps and Wilde in charge of that. They-"

"You put a suspected _murderer_ in charge of briefing _your_ officers?"

"One, Officer Wilde is not a suspected murderer. He's a suspected 'suspected murderer'. And before you say anything they are entirely different things. The first one's legally recognized; the second isn't."

"It may not be legally recognized, sir, but the implications of having _anyone_ under the suspicion of-"

" _Two_..." Bogo sighed slowly, resting his head down on the back of the chair in the wide and grand corridor inside Council Tower... "this is getting old, Jack," he said, tiredly. "You have been tracking Hopps and Wilde - dogged their steps - for over twenty four hours now, and you have yet to find anything even _hinting_ that he might be criminally involved. His behavior, his newly-formed romantic dedication to Miss Hopps, the factors about his past that were mentioned first in the interview with Finnic Depesdo the other day, and secondly last night in their apartment speak to me of-"

"B-but... but, we've been through this before. All that tells us is the version of the 'truth' Wilde wants Hopps to believe; the actual truth may be entirely different."

"And if that, alone, was the only factor, I would agree that the matter requires further investigation. While you may have listened in on the conversation between them once inside the apartment, you were, by no fault of your own, unable to record that which they spoke about on the roof beforehand. I feel that, in this time,

The rabbit paled. He stood stock still for all but half a second, and then Bogo's next words crashed down atop of him.

"I am going to talk fully - and frankly - with Officer Nicholas Wilde, informing him of our activates in following him, and our suspicions about him, and allow him to state _his own_ case in _his own_ words. I've had enough sneaking around the matter. With all the work he does, Wilde deserves better than that."

To Savage, the room suddenly felt far taller and darker than it had a moment ago - the walls feeling as though they were curving in, cave in to crush him beneath them.

"In... in sight of the lack of evidence and the growing list of factors suggesting Wilde's non-involvement with any criminal activates I am, as of now, concluding your involvement in this investigation into Wild's behavior."

" _No,"_ Jack whispered, " _no, no no~"_

"You did good Savage, and thanks for all your help. I knew I could trust you to do the right-"

"Sir! Wait. New, new developments are in the pipelines; just round the next corner; hanging over us like... like clouds?"

"Clouds?"

"Like trees! I don't know. Anyway, the point I'm making is that it would be unwise to conclude this at this current moment."

"Speak quickly, Savage, the jury has reached it's verdict."

Savage bit down on his tongue for a long moment, trying to figure out how to proceed. He _couldn't_ tell Bogo about his and Judy's planned meeting up later on that evening - to do so might bring his impartialness into later question if the fox's voice was heard - something Jack could not afford given his past involvements with said fox.

He needed to appear whiter than white throughout the whole investigation if he wanted to avoid ending up in the cells alongside Nick, and so he came to a conclusion about how best to procedure.

"I'm sorry, sir," he said stiffly, "I am not in a position to say."

Bogo's lip tightened. "How... so?"

"When you hired me, sir," Jack said, recovering his coolness and his charm, "you did so knowing that my methods often required silence and subtlety at times. This is simply one of those times."

"Silence and subtly," Bogo growled, "against the _other_ officers and the _press_ , Jack. _Not_ to _**me**_."

"Nevertheless," he continued, smoothly, "this is the way it must be. Don't take this as a character judgment, sir, but there are certain legal procedures and protocols that you - as head of the police force - would be obliged to take if you were to be informed as to my methods. You must trust my judgment, Chief, and understand my motives and that my only, _only_ drive in this matter... is _justice_."

Bogo opened his mouth sharply as though to say something harsh. Then, after a moment, it closed again, slowly. The police Chief sighed again. "Alright, Jack," he said, "you can have your way. But I want to speak through this whole matter with Wilde _tonight_. You can have until a few hours after the raid to do what you need to do; I'll stall him until then."

"And Hopps?"

"She'll be free to do as she pleases. She'll probably head over to the safe house. Savage... why are you chuckling?"

"It's just, erh, I mean... Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde separated? That's a rare occurrence if ever there was one."

"Huh," Bogo grunted in a dull chuckle, "just think of the chaos that'll run riot through the city, when the one isn't there to control and occupy the attention of the other. Still, the best partners in work - and marriage, I guess - aren't always going to be those who match each other perfectly, but those who can balance the strengths and the weaknesses of the other."

"Well now you're just getting poetic," Savage chimed in, "and you know what happens to Police Chiefs' who start getting poetic."

"Yeah, Jack," Bogo chuckled, sourly, "but don't worry... I don't think I'm ready to retire to and old mammals home just yet? The judge is coming. We'll talk later."

"Ciao... Chief."

The phone beeped as the receiver was hung up.

...

The Equipment and Maintenance Department of the ZPD was a solid, square room. The space within consisted largely of crates and shelves, a layer of grease and dust lining the floor. Small mechanical or electric parts littered a number of work benches, tools lying besides a few pieces of equipment in various states of disrepair.

It was an armory of rubber bullets, flash grenades and beanbag-firing shotguns; tactical armor, plastic visors and riot shields. Police batons and tasers could be issued freely by order of the Police Chief, but if anything from this room was needed, the paperwork had to be signed, and the use, documented.

A long queue had formed in the corridor outside the Department of Equipment and Maintenance, leading up to a square window cut into the wall, manned by an aging hippo of a wide and "hearty" stature.

Officer Rhinowitz approached the window and handed a signed slip of paperwork to the hippo. The hippo examined it minutely - unconcerned about the line of officers who were waiting for their provisions - and checked it for any defects or inconsistencies.

Eventually satisfied, the hippo turned from the window and disappeared into the darkness behind, emerging again a moment later with a large, gray crate in hand, which was then passed through the window to the rhino, who heaved it up and took it away.

The faces of two mammals - Hopps and Wilde - slowly emerged from around the corner of the corridor, some little way up from the line of mammals waiting for their kit. There was silence for a moment, then the rabbit opened her mouth. "Well," she said, "I wasn't quite expecting this."

"The queuing?"

"Yeah. I'd've thought the process should be quicker than this."

"I guess that's just what standard procedure will to to you. It's against legal procedure - apparently - to just hand over potential weapons to officers about to go on a raid. They have to have all the paperwork checked before they get anything handed out to them."

"So, what do we do? Just join the queue?"

With a sigh, Wilde started towards the slow-moving line of awaiting mammals. "Not much else we can do, Carrots." Pausing for a moment while Judy caught up, the fox and the rabbit made their way towards the line.

His nose twitching indeterminably, the ears of officer Wolfard pricked up as the fox and rabbit approached. He turned to them as they approached form behind. "Hey," Wolfard said, grinning, "Commanders Head-Officers Hopps and Wilde!"

Judy smiled bashfully and Wilde grinned at the thought. "At ease, Wolfard," Wilde said, jovially, "Chief Hopps and I are just here to peruse the mammals."

"Understood completely, sir."

Nick smiled at the wolf. The comment may have been said as a joke - he knew - but, the respect was still genuine."

"Hey," said Judy, trying not to blush, "come on. We're not really commanding officers, you know."

A senor officer standing close by snorted sarcastically. "Is that right?" he muttered.

Their smiles fading at the coldness of the comment, the fox, rabbit and wolf fell, quietly, into line. A few moments of uncomfortable silence followed, and then Wolfard turned back towards the pare, trying to lighten the mood again.

"By the way," he said, "I thought the two of you did a great job just now. I doubt even Bogo would've been able to deliver that info so gracefully."

"Oh, thanks Wolfard!" Hopps said.

"Just call me Wool," he said, smiling, "Wolfard's just too, erh..."

"Pompous?" Nick said.

The wolf turned to Nick with a frown at the possibly mocking comment; then he spotted the warmth in the fox's smirk, and his frown grew into a smile as he teased back: "Hah. _You_ can talk, officer 'Wilde'. What, you born and raised out in the wilds of Zoophon? What you gonna do, work into a frenzy and start yelling and throwing books about the place?"

"Well," he said, examining his nails, "Mother did always say I was a very... spirited child. I think - looking back - that was just a 'polite' way of saying I didn't know how to shut the heck up."

Hopps' gaze fell slowly to her feet as Wilde's words of his mother and his 'spirited' childhood brought back the memories of what he had told her his early life really _was_ like - of the years spent alone, the sense of loss, the perpetual feeling ill, the sense of fear, helplessness, loneliness... though you'd never know it to talk to him.

Judy wondered: when she had heard him joking with other mammals, as she had done so many times in the past - how much of what he said was actually true? How much was just made up just to be friendly and get a positive reaction?

Hopps mind was brought sharply back to the moment as Wolfard said: "And what about your dad? What did he used to call you?"

Judy watched Nick's face. But for a slight twitch of one of his ears, his expression remained otherwise unchanged. "...rascal, most of the time," Wilde said, his voice slightly more monotone than normal.

The wolf smiled. "I bet you have some fond memories of times the two of you spent together."

"Yeah..." Nick said... "real fond memories."

Wolfard's brow furrowed slightly as he looked into the fox's expression. Sure, Nick looked happy enough; acted chearful enough but, there was something, just... wrong. Something, like-

"So Wolfard," Hopps said, intentionally interrupting the wolf's line of thought, "how are you feeling about the raid tonight? Any questions?"

"Oh, erh, none that I can think of. I've never been in a 'real' raid before. Just a couple of strikes on hideouts of suspected lawbreakers a couple of times; nothing of this magnitude."

"Well," Wilde chuckled, "experiences you have'll still be more than what Hopssey here has."

Wolfard tilted his head to one side. "More expiranse than Hopps? What about yourself, Wilde? You know much about police raids?"

"I, erh... _no._ No, I've never been involved in a raid before... never. I - I mean, how could I? I've never been the the police force before(!)" Nick turned to Judy as he tried to avoid Wolfard's gaze... and found Hopps looking at him with much the same expression of thoughtful speculation. Concern grew within Wilde.

"So, erh," he said, slowly, "so, maybe I saw a documentary on one it once; maybe read a book about it some time..."

A moment of silence passed, but then Wolfard pulled himself back from his thoughts... _Judy,however, kept her gaze firmly held on the fox._ "Anyway," the wolf said, "as I said, I though the two of you did a great job in the briefing. I think it's really great Bogo trusted the two of you to handle such a big job as that."

"Nice of you to say, Wool," Nick said. "It's a shame not everyone were as open as you."

"Nah, they're just jealous. You wouldn't believe it, but just about eighty percent of the officers in that room have been hoping for a chance like that for months now. Most of them have never even been put in charge of leading a team before! And McHorn? Well. He's been waiting for Bogo to retire literally since forever by this point."

"You got any idea where he went to?" Hopps asked, releasing the fox from her hard gaze.

"Probably just went up to the on sight caff. He doesn't usually go far from the premise when work's still on. Then again," he chuckled, "he doesn't usually get kicked out with a flee in his ear like that."

"It's a shame that had to happen," the rabbit said, "I didn't _want_ to do it that way."

"That's because you're compassionate," Wolfard said, "and you care about your officers. McHorn doesn't - I mean, he does care _of course_ , just not quite as much as he should. To be honest, me and a few of the other juniors think the reason why Bogo's held so stringently onto his duties of command for so long, is because there's no one currently of sufficient rank or ability in the ZPD he feels he can trust enough to do the job right."

"But, McHorn's had far more than enough experience in policing," Hopps said.

"Right though that is," Wolfard said, "it's not just experience that matters. McHorn is dedicated and passionate and completely trustworthy with upholding the law... but he just dosen't have the right mind to deal with the job. He's too single-minded; he can't think his way around problems like the two of you can. It's no wounder," he added, concealing a grin, "that Bogo might want the two of you to take over from him."

Hopps and Wilde shared a startled expression. " _ **What!**_ " they said.

"You, you can't be serious about that," Judy said, the last few of the officers in the queue in front being served.

"Hey," Wolfard said, controlling a grin, "I'm not in a position to be serious or not be serious about anything. All I know," he added, stepping up to the window and handing his requisition sheet over to the hippo, "is that after just one year of service, the two of you have _suddenly_ been put in charge of a group of police mammals... some of which have been working in this department for well over a decade."

"B - b, but - you're not saying that was Bogo testing us out or something, are you? That - that was just because he needed _someone_ to brief the officers, and we were the only ones who knew all the facts!"

"True, true," the wolf said, taking his crate of equipment, lifting the lid, and glancing over the equipment inside, "so, maybe I'm wrong. Maybe it's just normal for the Chief to want to put his two most junior officers _in charge_ of overseeing on of the most _important_ cases this year - and the largest drug trafficking scheme since The Firm were in power."

Hopps stuttered to respond to the wolf - Nick just stared - but before they could say anything definite, Wolfard had collected is items, saluted jokingly to his partners, and carried his hefty load away.

"Nick, what - what was-"

"Hold onto that thought for now, Carrots," he muttered, quietly, "we've got bigger problems to deal with."

"What?"

Nick nodded up to the window a few paces away, dropping his voice as low as possible. "...the Matron."

"The Matron? You mean, Officer Bloat? How is she like a-?"

"Are you two coming to see me or not!" demanded a very bisque and very imperious voice close by - a voice with impossibly snipped speech and the tonal qualities of a contralto opera singer.

"Oh, erm..." Judy turned quickly form the fox, and paced up to the window into the store room occupied by the striking figure of Officer Bloat.

"Hey," Hopps said, "good afternoon, Officer Matr- _erh!_ Officer Bloat."

"It's the evening. Clearly."

"Okay, yeah, but... it's still technically after the time of noon?"

"Do you have your requisition order?"

"Yeah," Judy said, passing it up, "here."

The matron glanced over the page. "This is written in blue ballpoint," she said, "the form clearly states it should be in black ballpoint."

"Oh," Hopps said, "erm-"

"But that's only so it shows up if it needs to be scanned into the computer," Nick said, even-tempered, "you just have to look at it. I'm sure you can see it just fine."

"Of course I can see it," Officer Bloat said, "but that's not the ruddy point."

"Then what is the point, pray?"

"Don't you use that language with me, I am _not_ your prey!"

"Nh, no - I said _pray_ , as in the archaic, formal adverb for asking-"

"Enough with the phatics. This is serious business. Now pass me your requisition order, Wilde. And enough with the dirty looks," she snapped at the expressionless fox, "that won't get you anywhere."

"Here you are," he said, passing it up (then muttering under his breath), " _Matron._ "

"Well," she said, reading over Wilde's perfectly acceptably filled-in form, "your grammar and spelling is appalling... and this handwriting is an atrocity. But, fortunately for you, having bad handwriting is not a punishable offense in the ZPD."

"Tell me," Wilde said, "did you ever try to be a teacher by any chance? Headmistress of a primary school, perhaps? Perhaps get asked to leave one day due to complaints about the treatment of your students?"

"Actually... yes," Matron said, her deathly glare becoming one of confusion. "Why?"

"Oh," he said, smiling to himself, "just wondering."

Her expression twitched. Then, after disappearing inside for a moment, Officer Bloat came back with a single crate and two, small cases. "These are your requisition orders," she said, handing them down, "our two smallest pares of tactical armor, alongside harness and grappling hook equipment."

Wilde and Hopps stepped up to the window to take their equipment. Taking them a few steps away, they placed them down on the floor and started to dust off the large crates. Behind them, Bloat disappeared from the window, then reappeared once again with a third case.

"Wilde, Hopps," she said, opening the box container, "open up your cases."

The fox and rabbit did so, and took out the two, crossbow-looking devices they found within.

"These are your grapples," she said, taking out her own with Wilde and Hopps turning to look at her as she spoke. "You hold it from here and you load the grapple into the slot like this from here. There will then be a click, and the device will be armed."

Reaching back into the box, the hippo held up a length of thick wire attached to a harness. "When you suit up," she said, "you will need to loop the harness securely into the armor, and ensure the wire is securely attached at both ends. Then, when you reach the outside of the building, you will fire the grapples towards any suitable support - if you miss, just pull the slack back in and fire it off again. Just don't make too much of a pig's basket of it, okay?

"Once that has been accomplished, simply climb the staircase by the usual means. Be sure to keep the slack tight as you climb it, just in case the staircase is less stable than we initially thought. Any questions?"

"Yeah," Nick said, "what if a fleeing crook manages to slip by us? Will we just be left wired up to the roof and unable to give chaise?"

"No, of course not. There is, on the point where the wire and the harness connect, a bolt covering an emergency release latch which will, if unlatched, allow the user to quickly detach themselves from the supporting wire, if it is needed."

"And if the staircase does collapse?" Hopps said. "What then?"

"Then the two of you will be left dangling like kite caught in a tree. All you'll be able to do is wait for backup to come with a crane and let you down."

"And how long's that gonna take to arrive?"

"No more than an hour, I should think."

"Gee, great. Well, thanks a lot for all your help, Miss," Nick said, placing his crate down on the floor and pacing up to her window, "we really can't exaggerate how much use you've been to us."

"Hold your noise and get going, the both of you. And, Wilde? Stop slouching already! Stand up straight."

"You know," Nick said, smiling pleasantly as he very internationally _'lent'_ against the window ledge between them, "you remind me a lot of my auntie."

"Really," said Bloat, unmoved, "how happy for you." With a final steely glare, the Matron slapped the wooden cover for the window shut on the fox's nose. Wilde recoiled sharply and held his nose with a paw, shooting a dirty look at where she was.

"Don't worry, Nick," Judy said, softly, "from what I hear, she's like that with everyone. Even Bogo dosen't dare argue with her."

"Yep, just like my aunt," Nick huffed, sourly, to the room... "she was a bitch as well."

Nick turned from the window and paced away, Judy following behind. Hopps turned to his scornfully for using bad language... then snorted in suppressed laughter... and hurried along to try and get away before the fox saw her laughing too much.

* * *

 _A 'bloat' is the collective noun for hippopotamus - hence the name._


	57. Suits of Superior Suitability

_**'T' minus 48 minutes and counting...**_

* * *

The sun touched down upon the still lake around the city of Zootopia. In the dim light of a small, old fashioned oil lantern, the frame of a shaggy, black dog slouched in a faded, green armchair in what appeared to be a light doze. The coal-fueled, iron stove which kept the small shack lit had started to burn out, darkening the small room and allowing the bisque chill of night to blow in through the gap beneath the door. A tattered, black ear twitched as footsteps approached the shack outside. They stopped close by to the window, and then voices were heard.

"Has he moved?" came the first voice - pushy, arrogant - Shuck knew it well.

"No, sir," came the second voice - the guard who had been posted outside his door since Nyilas left.

"Has he made any trouble?"

"No, he nodded off a few minutes after you left."

The first voice snorted. "Old mutt. Step back from the window. _I'll_ show this flee-bitten mongrel what he gets for sleeping while _I'm_ around."

Shuck heard the grunt of an object being thrown and opened his eyes. He'd been awake and knew what was coming, but that didn't mean he could prevent the rock which was thrown from smashing through his window. The sharp rock hurtled through, smashed the glass, and caught the dog on the snout. A tooth was knocked lose. Shuck didn't care; the brick had knocked his lamp. Throwing himself down on the floor after it, the seadog caught the oil lantern the second before it hit the floor.

The dog snarled at the sound of laughter just outside and pulled himself back up on his chair, placing his lamp safely back on the table as the door opened and George the coyote stepped in, smiling down at Shuck disregardingly as he breathed heavily in his chair.

"Lovely hovel you have," he said, glancing towards the shards of smashed glass. "I like the 'open' design of the window here."

Shuck spat blood towards him. "How's your hand healing, bastard?"

"Better than your face," he said, nodding towards the wide cut torn into the hound's snout.

"Jus' a scratch. You try getting your face caught up in the support hooks of a stormsale during a Beaufort Twelve wind. _Then_ let's see who's the one howlin' in pain... as your eye's being slashed open by a metal hook, trashing about in your skull, with _all_ the force of the sea."

George resisted, but couldn't help but cringe at the image. "That's... that's how you lost your-?"

"Aye, that it be. Sounds funny, but I didn't even notice it at the time."

"Too stupid to realize you were feeling pain, I guess," George retorted, forcing himself to recover from the image in his mind. "I bet you only realized you'd lost an eye after someone pointed it out to you... on the floor."

"One eye though I have," Shuck said, calmly, "it'd still be more then enough to take you down in a fight."

George whistled through the window. The gray polar bear who was stood guard outside appeared with a assault rifle in his paws. "You're in no position to do anything," George said, "not with the power my master has handed down to me; not with the strength you have amassed against you. No mammal - large or small - can stand against the force of my will. You least of all."

"Ach, stop your prattle. You don't know nothin' about facing up to 'ardships. You've never faced up to real danger, and when I get out of here I _will_ come for you, and you will _burn_ before I'm finished."

The coyote scoffed. "Burn?"

"Like a Christian-turned-candle under the reign of Emperor Nero."

"If you mean to say I will burn in Hell, mutt," George shot, "then you can rest assured I'll be sending you there by express first!"

"Not Hell," Shuck said. "To believe in Hell means to believe in a God. And if there were a god, there'd be some justice in the world. But the fact I'm still alive, after all I've done to the lives of good people, disproves all of that."

"Perhaps," George cut in, snidely, "the Almighty was just waiting for a fitting end for your miserable life."

The hound turned to the polar bear in the window who was sneering at him. He turned back to George and held the coyote's gaze firmly through this single, piercing eye. "Whatever end befalls me, you will burn... I just want you to remember I said that. You _will_... _**burn**_."

...

With the concentrated efficiency of samurai preparing for battle, the officers of the ZPD changed from their usual blue uniforms into their Kevlar raid armor. The equipment was of a standard-issue size, but designed to be able to adjusted to the wearer's specifications. The normally spacious males' changing room was packed with a throng of officers, changing in anxious and moody silence.

The large door swung open a little and Nick Wilde slipped inside. He glanced around at the other males undressing and then pushed the door shut behind him - with quite some effort, seeing as the door was around eight times larger than he was.

With a final, two-pawed shove, the door clicked into place and Wilde re-picked up his heavy case of issued equipment and made his way forwards, trying his best to keep his eyes to himself. Wilde was used to navigating the bustling crowds of Zootopia's streets, but this forest of large legs was something quite different.

Making cautiously further into the room, he looked about for a relatively safe place where he could change - aware keeping check of near-by foxes was the last thing on the other officers minds right now, and that potential trampling was a very real risk. In the dim and overcrowded changing room, making his way around (and making his way _safely_ ) was no easy feat. Wilde felt sudden movement behind him. He ducked rapidly as a broad tail rushed past overhead with enough momentum to knock the small mammal off his feat; the owner of the tail not even aware of the fox's presence.

"Hey," he shot, trying not to yelp, spinning and reversing with his tail dusting the ground behind him. Then, Nick felt a tingling sensation in the hairs on the tip of his tail - the tingling of something directly above it.

The fox turned again and pulled at his tail, trying to move it from beneath the lowering, gigantic foot before it- " _Gah!_ " Nick winced and held his breath for the pain - a broken tail was an unfortunately easy thing to attain, and painful as hell; not something the fox exactly wanted on the night of a raid. But, luckily, his swift action had saved his tail from being crushed, and it was only the hairs upon the end of his bushy, red tail which were caught.

Nick glanced around himself - his nerves on high alert as he checked to make sure no one else was about to step on anything vital - before turning, and whistling up towards the large mammal whose foot was currently pinning his tail to the ground. "Mind giving me back my tail, _'pall'_ ?"

"What?" Rhinowitz said, turning distractedly and looking below him. "Oh, sorry Wilde," he muttered, turning away again and lifting his foot for a brief moment.

Wilde pulled his tail back sharply, sending a weary eye towards his tree trunk like leg, and holding his tail tenderly, tucking his bag up on his elbow as he held his delicate, fifth appendage in both paws.

He looked nothing like the sly, care-free mammal he usually put himself up as being - his tail held nervously in his paws; his oversized bag on his arm, his eyes darting this way and that between the crowds of large mammals. He looked more like a cub on his first day at school; felt like it too.

Deciding speed would work better than caution in this scenario, Wilde increased his pace and made his way across the room swiftly - ducking beneath tails and sidestepping legs easily; allowing his innate celerity to guide his movements.

Reaching a small clearing by the far side wall without further incident, the fox glanced around once more just to check he was clear and put his case down on the ground. He flicked it open and glanced over the gear inside, turned away from the crowd to stare at the wall, and began to unbutton his shirt... trying to ignore the fact he was in a room full of mammals and pretending he was just alone inside his apartment instead.

It wasn't that Nick exactly _minded_ undressing in the view of others, exactly... just not in a room packed mostly with mammals four times his size and a dozen times his weight. He was just glad putting the armor on didn't involve total nudity - the size difference between himself and Officer Francine the elephant in particular was something he really didn't need to know about.

The fox slipped of the tie and shirt he usually wore and exchanged it for the t-shirt in the bag which was tighter and with less unnecessary material hanging off - shirt tails; collar - which could get caught up in the raid armor, looking back down into the bag and at the visor helmet and chest plate he saw inside.

...

It was the visored helmet which worried her. Not only was it heavy and restricted her movement and field of view, but the thickness and heaviness of it flattened her ears down against her head, more of less defining her from about seventy per cent of all the subtle and distant sounds she could usually pick up on.

Judy looked back down towards the piece of chest armor and tugged against it again as she tried to get it to sit right. Not having to deal with a room full of mammals like in the males' room, she had managed to dress quickly into her gear.

The sensation of wearing the armor made the rabbit oddly aware of everything about herself - the temperature of her breath as it left her mouth; the rise and fall of her chest and how it pushed against the hard surface of the armor; the feel of the floor beneath the pads of her feet; the beating of her heat; the blood pumping around her veins.

The armor had put it all into perspective. This was _real_. This was happening, to her.

Wilde was right. Up until now, she had been able to put it off - keep it in the back of her mind - while she focused on the task at hand: the corps in her room, the investigation at Reg' House, the infiltration of Erkin - but now, keeping thoughts of the raid at bay by focusing on the here and now was no longer working... the raid _was_ the here and now.

A little faintness taking hold, the rabbit supported herself up against the wall with her paw, staring down at the floor, taking a deep breath in and pushing it out of her, slowly - a stress-relief technique she had discovered back in her time at the academy.

Tonight was going to go just fine, she reminded herself. There was nothing that could go wrong. She and Nick were going to be guarding a staircase too unstable to be used by anything larger than Nick, while the rest of the officers dealt with the actual fighting. More so, this raid had been arranged by a mammal enormously experienced in pulling this kind of thing off. They had the Intel, the advantage of surprise, and all the mammal power they needed to pull this off.

 _It's going to go fine... just fine._

Judy's gaze rose. In the white tile the walls the females' changing room was adorned with, she could see the reflection of her own nervous face in the pale surface. She watched herself for several seconds, taking in all the details of her own features which somehow seemed so new - like she had never really looked at herself before; never really appreciated what she had.

Taking another breath, blighting own on her lip, her face hardened. Standing to attention with her shoulders back and her head held high, the rabbit lowered the see through visor of her raid helmet. Judy Hopps saluted herself smartly in the reflection, and marched swiftly from the room.

...

Shuffling his body, Nick tried (mostly in vain) to get the chest armor to sit in a comfortable position. After a few moment's trying, he decided it was never going to feel right, since most of the sense of 'wrongness' was simply his uneasiness at the prospect of what this armor entailed.

His breath teetering on the verge of shaking, the fox tried to calm himself as he slid the straps for the harness support he had also been given into the hoops and g-clamps of his armor, pulling it just a little tighter than it had to be for fear of somehow slipping out. The armor was heavy and difficult to wear. It felt as unnatural as bathing fully dressed, and slowed his speed and incapacitated the fox's movements.

Nick reached behind himself as he tried to tighten the harness support, but the plates in his arm locked up and prevented him from bending his elbow fully, and stopped his arm being able to reach around behind him as he struggled and strained to reach the straps he needed to tighten.

Grunting, the fox's arm dropped as he gave in. Then he felt movement behind him - something touching his back - and the straps on his harness and armor started to tighten of their own accord.

"Cheers, Wolfard," Nick said grimly, recognizing the scent.

"No trouble," the wolf said. "So, is this... I guess this is your first raid? With the ZPD, anyway," he added.

Nick glanced sideways towards the wolf. He had been stupid to let that slip out earlyer. "My first with the ZPD?" he asked, just for the sake of saying something, "why put it like that?"

"Oh," he said, lightly, "just cause of the way you implied you'd had raid experience before. And then made up a hasty excuse of reading about it beforehand to cover for what you'd said. There, your straps are all secure. Could you give me a hand with mine? Erh, no one else here has fingers small enough to do it."

"Sure," Nick said, trying to keep his voice level as he spoke to the one mammal in there he knew supported them. "This too tight?" he asked, doing the first.

"That'll be fine," he said as Wilde started on the other straps. "So, did I ruse you out?"

Nick smiled, thinly. "You're a smart mammal, Wool," he said, leaning into the wolf's ear. "Too smart. If you're not careful, I might have to have you killed~"

Wolfard chuckled. "Yeah, I'm sure Hopps would approve of _that_ behavior."

The fox raised a brow. "Oh, I'm sure I could sway her over to my point of view. I could probably even get her to do the murder for me, with the right pretext..."

"I don't doubt it, mate. Sometimes I think that girl'd do just about anything for you." Wolfard turned to face the fox as he finished doing up his raid armor, facing the fox with a warm smile as Nick gazed down at nothing on the floor, a distant smile on his face as he thought about the rabbit.

"So, come on," Wolfard said, abruptly, "open up! You been in a raid before or what?"

Taking a breath, his smile leaving, Nick glanced about the room. "Look," he said, only now replying in earnest, "I know I don't know you exactly that well, but I think I can trust you enough not to have to be so careful about what I say. The mammals around us, however..."

"I get it," Wolfard said, quietly. "Some of them might take it the wrong way. Yeah, I understand."

"Exactly," Nick said. "But still, since you figured it out, I guess you deserve to know. I'll tell you about it later. Alright?"

"You'd better tell Hopps at the same time. I wouldn't tell her a thing myself if you didn't want me to, but if I figured it out, she will too. She suspects already."

" _Course_ she suspects," Nick muttered, "it's _'Judy'_. She always knows what's up."

"Huh, yeah. Going back to what you said about murdering me, what would you actually do if you went through with it, and Bogo assigned _Judy_ to be the one to hunt you? Assuming she could be convinced to work against you, that is."

Nick grinned to himself, fiddling with the pad on his arm. "Hightail it out of the country, change my name, die my fur, pretend I'm just a small wolf and prey to God every night she never hunts me down."

"I bet you're not even joking, are you," the wolf laughed. "I bet you really would leave the country if Hopps was after you."

"Are you kidding me?" Nick said. "Have you _seen_ her when she gets her teeth into something? I'd have to go into hiding for at _minimum_ sixty years before she'd admit defeat."

Wolfard chuckled, trying so hard to hold in his laughter it was almost painful. "Can you imagine it?" he said. "Judy Hopps at eighty-five-years of age, and still absolutely _dedicated_ to law enforcement."

"Actually, I can... I really can."

Wolfard smiled easily at the fox. "Unless she ends up ' _dedicated'_ to something else, that is."

Nick blinked at the wolf, and his smile started to falter. "Wh... how do you mean?"

"Well," the wolf said, winking, "she has been wearing an interesting perfume these last couple of days. So either her mom just happened to buy her a bottle of oddly fox-scented perfume recently, or... well, _heh,_ enough said, I think?"

Nick stuttered at the wolf - it was the sudden change in topic which had caught him off guard. "Wool," he said, after a moment, "I - I don't know what you're getting at, but-"

" _No_ , no. Of course you don't," he said. The wolf watched Wilde with a smile growing for a few moments, enjoying the fact he had managed to fluster the unflusterable fox for once, then: "Anyway," he continued, "we'd best be getting on with things. Wouldn't want to still be getting ready when Bogo get's back, would we?"

"I, erh... no," Nick said as Wolfard started gathering up his things, trying not to laugh openly as the fox cleared his throat, scratched as his neck, and started gathering his items distractedly beside him.

 _Well hell,_ the fox muttered inwardly to himself, _he knows. I could deny it to myself, but what's the point, he's figured it out. Guy is too smart after all. Maybe I really_ will _have to have him killed after all... owh, what's Judy gonna say...!_

* * *

 **I'd just like to make a quick note to one individual, '** ** _Nickolas P. WildeXjudy_** **', for being the 200th person to favorite this story. Obliviously, thanks goes to all of you who have Favorited this story, as this two-hundredth character would not have been able to be so without the other hundred and ninety-nine of you, so thank you to all of you who have participated in the reading of this story. As ever, your views and comments are always of interest to me, and your presence here with me makes this whole thing worth the doing of.**

 **That said, this chapter was delayed in coming out due to college work. Though I will avoid it when possible, it is entirely likely that such will happen more frequently as the workload increases and as we move towards the terminatory period of the academic year. Apologies in advanced, but _I do what I must, because, I can._**

 **Hope you the reference,**  
 **Mister Smail.**


	58. The Brink

_**…**_

 _ **'T' minus 21 minutes and counting...**_

The clock ticked on. A slow, monotonous clicking which grated on the nerves and gnawed at the senses. Judy Hopps, one of the first to be dressed and out of the changing rooms, stood, fretful and frustrated, in the main foyer area of the ZPD HQ.

When she had first appeared, Clawhauser had been sat quietly behind the reception desk, staring soulfully down at a box of donuts on his desk; his apatite for eating all gone with what was soon to come. He wouldn't be taking part in the raid, but he still worried about and cared for each of the officers' lives as much as he would his own.

When he had first seen her, Clawhauser had given his congratulations for delivering the briefing earlier; then he had asked how Judy was feeling: 'fine, just about, but worried they weren't going to be prepared when Bogo turns up', and so the cheetah had offered to go up to the CCTV room and keep watch over the car park for her, to contact her via radio when Bogo's car pulled up. Judy had agreed, and then Benjamin Clawhauser had left.

So then, the rabbit stood in the growing silence of the foyer, with nothing to listen to but the ominous ticking of the clock upon the wall, and nothing to think about but her growing fears about tonight.

She had tried pacing, but wearing the heavy armor which she was, she had only worked herself up as she fussed and tugged at the items of apparel; trying to force the items of apparel to become comfortable on her body; using them as a vent for her tension in the form of an unwarranted amount of fury.

And now, fearful and frustrated, she stood motionless in unbearable anticipation, in the silence of the empty foyer.

A door opened some way up the corridor. Judy turned - hoping it was Nick most of all - but prepared to bare the company of anymammal in lieu.

From around the corner; from the direction of the changing rooms, Snarlov the gray-muzzled polar bear appeared. Her pace a little slower and a little less broad than usual due to the tactical armor, the large, white mammal paced towards the rabbit.

"Officer Snarlov," Judy greeted as she approached, trying to keep the very obvious nerves out of her voice.

"Hopps," the white bear greeted in reply, a little less warmly and a little more professionally then Hopps would've liked, but still courteous at least.

"The others," Hopps said, "are they nearly ready?"

"Nearly, yes. They'll be along in just a minute."

Hopps chuckled through nerves. "Hah, _great_. Wouldn't want to be making the Chief mad having people still getting changed when he gets back now, would we?"

"Not in the position you've been put in, no. No, you really don't want to mess this up, believe me."

Judy held her smile a moment longer, and then, she let it drop. "Okay, look," she said, sincerely, her volume lowering and her ears drooping a little, "I get it that no one's _really_ happy Bogo put us in charge - I get it."

"Huh, got that right."

"...and, believe me, I'm not all that over joyed about it either, but Bogo was fully justified in his decision. He had no personal reason to be putting us in charge of giving the briefing; he didn't do it because he thought we were more capable than McHorn or the others. There was no 'favoritism' or lack of proper judgment like most of you seem to think there was. It was just a matter of necessity.

"We, aside from Bogo, were the only mammals who had been fully furnished with the facts as we knew them. We were the only ones who had seen inside Erkin and knew what was going on. It makes sense to put us in charge of telling the others what's what!" Hopps rubbed her paw across her forehead, trying to hold back the strain in her voice. "Why does McHorn and _everyone_ else there have to hate us for it? _Why_?"

Judy stared down miserably at the floor. The bear tilted her head a little to one side and sighed, softly. "It's mostly just jealousy," she said, at length. "The two of you just seem to get all the lucky breaks in this job. There are some mammals here who've been working their tails of for over thirty years and haven't had nearly a fraction of the recognition you have. Look at it this way: within a week of being hired you'd cracked the case of the century and brought that psychopathic sheep to and end - Wilde wasn't even an official employee back then - and now it looks like you're about to do the same thing again.

"You can't blame McHorn for feeling hurt - and he may masked it behind just being angry, but underneath, he was just feeling hurt and confused. It's not his fault. He's been waiting to take over from Bogo in Precinct One since The Krays' time, and now now, I guess he's just worried you and Wilde are gonna come sweeping in and steal the position of Chief of Police from him, taking from him in just a little more than one year, what he's been aspiring to for more like forty."

The rabbit gazed, blinking, up at the bear; then, her expression fell and her ears dropped to her shoulders. "Well great... now I feel crappy for kicking him out."

Snarlov snorted. "Yep, and I think most of the officers feel the same way."

The rabbit's head fell into her paw's. "God, what've I done," she mumbled. "I got into an argument with the second most senior officer in the Precinct. What was I thinking?"

Snarlov crossed her arms and smiled, grimly. Further up the corridor, voices approached as a number of mammals of both genders grew closer. The polar bear's grim smile faded just a little as she looked down into the rabbit's troubled - perhaps even frightened - expression. Unfolding her arms and clearing her throat, she leaned down towards her a little.

"For what it's worth," she said, the mammals behind her growing closer, " while it is true what I said - that a lot of mammals aren't happy about you and Wilde being put in charge - I never said that includes all of us. I never said that includes me."

Silenced for a moment, Judy's head slowly rose from her paw. She turned up towards the polar bare who was smiling at her, thinly.

"Who cares if you make them jealous?" Snarlov winked at her. "You show them what you're made of."

"Snarlov, I..." The rabbit trailed off for a moment, and then, managed a small smile. "...thank you."

At that moment, the radio on Hopps' belt crackled, and Clawhauser's quiet yet urgent voice spoke. "Hopps, we got a Bogo, incoming!"

The rabbit pulled out her radio and spoke, urgently. "ETA?"

"He's now pulling up outside. At a guess, I'd say no more than sixty seconds."

"Thanks Claw, I owe you one."

"Aww, you owe me nothing."

Judy didn't have time to smile at the comment, flicking off the radio and turning to the slowly assembling group of mammals as they made towards her from the changing rooms. "Okay, _everyone,_ " she called out to them, cutting of their conversations, her voice a noticeable tone higher than it normally was, "Bogo will be here any moment. Could you all get in here lined up, please?"

More or less returning to their conversations, the assembled officers of the ZPD made their ways, leisurely, towards the foyer.

" _ **Hey**_ ," Snarlov shouted, getting everyone's attention, "Hopps said to get in a line. So let's move it!"

Speeded on by her words, the officers filed, swiftly, into a line. Finally managing to make his way through the crowd of armor re-enforced mammals, Nick managed to push to reach Judy, as she turned and glanced up at the clock on the wall, counting down the seconds until 'the master's' expected return.

"Hopps," Nick said, softly; Judy turned her towards the door, not registering the fox had spoken at all. "Hey _, Hopps_ ," he said, louder. This time, the rabbit turned to him, her expression troubled.

"Oh... sorry," she said, uneasily. "I'm just having a little trouble hearing stuff in this thing."

"Don't worry about it," Nick said. "How are you feeling?"

"Like a sardine. It's only been five minutes since I put this on, and already I can't wait to get it all off again. You?"

"Well," he said with a shrug, "it'll keep us alive if things go wrong, so mild disability aside, I'm happy. What's the word on Bogo?"

"He'll be here any second. Actually, I'm surprised he's not here all..." Judy trailed off, a black shape appearing on the other side of the glass doors - the main entrance into Zootopia's Police Department Headquarters. A silence falling instantly in the room at the tall shadow which stretched out across the floor, the doors opened, and the Chief of Police stepped in.

Hopps and Wilde shuffled quickly to their place at the end of the now perfectly straight line of officers. Chief Bogo walked into the room - his footsteps slow, silent, calm. He paced to stand before the long line of officers waiting for him, and gave each of them a long, steely gaze.

He paced to the first officer in the line - the opposite side to Hopps and Wilde - and stood, with his hands clasped behind his back, before the figure of Officer Trunkus Trunkaby. His gaze traced slowly up, and then down his uniform. "Your badge is crooked," he said. "Attend to it."

"Yes, sir," said Trunkaby, who adjusted it instantly as Bogo started to pace, deathly slow, down the line of officers.

"Officer Fangmeyer, the plate on your leg are lose - tighten it. Officer Higgins, your visor is speckled with mud - clean it. Officer Grizzoli, there is a rip in your sleeve - repair it, before we leave. Officer Wilde, yo-"

Having reached the end of the line, Bogo froze and stared down at the fox. Wilde stared back, his head slowly lowering and his tail slowly drawing between his feet as he prepared for whatever berating was to come. None came; Bogo just stared.

At length, Nick broke the silence. "Erh... _hi_?"

"Officer Wilde, your..." Bogo sighed sorrowfully, his eyes falling closed as he raised a paw to rub at his head. "... your flies are undone. Attend to it."

"Ugh?! _**Oh**_ **,** erm... _heh heh_ , right." The fox turned swiftly away from the line of officers now looking at him, doing up his trouser's zip quickly before turning back to the room with a sheepish smile and fur on his cheeks which was tinged just a little redder than usual.

"Alright," Bogo said firmly, moving away from the almost fatally embarrassed fox and pacing back and forth before the line of officers, "it seems you have been handled with an adequate amount of care, but now, we're going to have a little test to see what you really know. Fangmeyer, how many points of exit are there to the location?"

"Three, sir. The front door, the back alley and the fire escape."

"Correct. Snarlov?"

"Sir."

"Describe the layout of Erkin Electrics."

"One reception area leading to one corridor connecting to a three-story high work area. Off-the-blueprint structures and obstacles are likely due to the nature of the building, and

"Enough. Delgato, finish her sentence."

"Erh - the staircase itself if too unstable for mammals of a weight upwards of a medium wolf."

"Well done. Higgins, in which battle was Nelson killed?"

"His last one."

"Good. Wolfard, what manufacture of weapon are the mammals at Erkin armed with?"

"SMGs."

"Wrong. I said what _manufacture_."

"Oh! Er-"

" 'Er' is wrong, Wolfard. They're Heckler and Koch MP5s. What are they?"

"Heckler and Koch MP-"

"Will they be in possession of these weapons when we enter the building?"

"No, the guns are all locked in a crate."

" _But_?"

"But... if they do manage to arm themselves, we're to get out right away-"

" _ **And!?**_ "

"And, erh, seal off that area?"

"...you nearly lost it there."

"Yes, sir."

"Be sure you're clear on the procedure."

"Yes, sir."

"If they manage to arm themselves, you don't hang around. Right?"

"No, sir. Thank you, sir."

Bogo took a step away; the wolf allowed himself to breath again.

"Alright," Bogo said, slowly, "looks like most of you have the basic facts down just about okay. Seems I left you in capable paws after all - if only just," he added, turning to the glass doors and looking out. "Twilight's almost over," he said to himself, looking out at the almost black sky. "Officer McHorn, how much longer until total nightfall?" He turned to the room - _"Officer McHorn?"_ \- and his expression fell blank. Bogo double-checked the officers present. He turned to Judy, his brows lowering. "Hopps, where is Officer McHorn?"

"Erm... _yeah_ , about that. We erm - that is to say, Officer Wilde and myself-"

"We were legally obliged to ask McHorn to leave the premises," Nick cut in, stating the matter cleanly and truthfully.

After a moment of careful consideration, Bogo turned sharply to the fox as though ready to explode into furious questioning as to why. He raise a finger towards him, his mouth opened, then... the open mouth faltered, the finger fell, and the buffalo grunted and -

"There isn't the time for this line of questioning right now. And, I guess, I did give you active command of the unit, so whatever decisions you made and whatever orders you gave during that time is your responsibility and of your own judgment. It would be hypocritical of me to chasten you for exercising the authority I myself gave you."

Bogo turned away form the fox and the rabbit, and the duo released a lung of pent-up tension for it. Then he called to the two of them over his shoulder as he paced away. "But the two of you had better have a dam _**fine**_ excuse for doing what you did when this raid is over. Now come one, all of you," he added, pacing further down the corridor as he addressed all of the men, "our transportation is waiting in the car park. Everything is on schedule."

Without a word of argument, the officers turned towards and followed their Chief of Police. Making her way around the crowd of mammals, Judy caught up with Bogo as he marched down the long hall with Nick following her close behind.

"Bogo, did the jury sign the warrant?"

"Of course they did," he snapped, "why else would we be heading to the vehicle?"

"I'm sorry about McHorn, sir. Looking back I think I should've handled it differently, but we-"

"Enough, already. You'll be grilled on that later."

"What's the transport like? Will we be traveling in many separate cars, or-"

"Don't bother me with useless questions. You'll find out for yourself in a minute!"

"I'm sorry, sir," she said, her voice shaking, "I'm just, a little shook, an-"

" **Officer,** fall back in line. That's an order."

Judy froze, her mouth falling open with worry and hurt, and her paws starting to shake in her armor. Bogo carried on walking, the rest of the officers following behind, until it was just Nick and her.

The rabbit felt a weight on her shoulder. She turned; it was Nick's paw. Usually, the warmth of his paw gave her inexplicable courage from nowhere - but she couldn't feel the warmth of his touch; couldn't smell his reassuring scent through the air; couldn't hear the soothing sound of his breaths moving in and out. It was as though he was only half there. The ZPD armor stood between them.

The rabbit turned to the fox and looped her arms as tightly as she was able around his chest. Nick glanced at the officers as the grew further away - none of them were looking, and the armor they were wearing cut off most of their vision - and then turned back to the rabbit and put his arms around her head.

The hug was struggled and uncomfortable. They were unable to feel one anther's heat, and it was difficult to feel any amount of intimacy. The hug was, however, comforting enough, and when they parted from the strained meeting of bodies, the rabbit's expression seemed brighter than before.

Nick sighed as they started following the group of thirty or so mammals from behind. "You know," he said, dryly, "I have the greatest of respects for Bogo and all, but he can be a dick sometimes."

"Hey, come on," said Hopps, softly, "he's under pressure too. Chances are he's far more tense about tonight than even we are; give him a little lenience."

"Yeah, I guess," the fox sighed, following the rabbit as they made their way down to the ZPD car park, and the dark, armored vans which awaited them thereupon.

* * *

 **Please read this. This is important and may directly effect** _ **you**_ **as an individual; this won't take but a moment of your time to read.**

I've been thinking the past few days - wheels have been turning - and I've had an idea about the future of this story. I don't know if I'll be able to pull it off yet, but I don't see any reason why not. The only real thing I am lacking in is the people power with which to do it... and that means asking you.

Without giving too much away, all I can say is that I am capable of doing most of what needs to be done myself, but that the assistance of anyone who is reading this would be of enormous value to me. No specialist skills are necessary, but there are a few items you'll need to be involved.

To be involved, a good internet connection will be needed, (though I myself am not often able to connect to the internet - only during Friday and Saturday, Great British time. Work on this can only be done with my presence so bare this in mind), a computer of some sort, a Steam account, and a program called Garry's Mod (also known as GMod.).

GMod only costs only seven pounds (9.82 dollars, apparently) and is HALF PRICE _**until**_ 6 PM, Monday, (again, British time), so I really think it'd be worth getting. It's only a small experience for what I'm offering. I don't want to gloat, but if this works (which it very probably will if I get the support I need from the people here) this could be a once in a lifetime opportunity - for me included.

 _I hope to hear from you soon,_  
 _ **Mister Smail.**_

P.S. Please respond via private message. I will need your Steam account username and an e-mail address would be helpful. You don't have to give me these things straight away - I can give you some more information about what I have planned first if you need it.

P.P.S. If you haven't already guessed, I need these things so we can all meet up online on GMod and do a Zootopia/Paw in Paw based thing which you'll find more out about later.


	59. The Final Breath

_I'm sorry for the delay. Most of Norfolk was snowed up for about a week and I was unable to get the internet access to put chapters up. To compensate, chapters will be being uploaded at an accelerated rate for a while. Smail._

* * *

~ _**The final moment before a storm, is the hardest to handle of them all ~**_

The cramped confines of the ZPD armored truck jostled as it trundled down the streets of Zootopia. The inside was pitch black, but for the dull, yellowish light which strobed along the inside of the main compartment as the vehicle passed under streetlights.

Judy Hopps looked slowly about herself, gazing at the other officers in the fleeting moments of light in the darkness; their bodies black but for the sharp edges and jagged outlines of their armor among the darkness.

It was stuffy in there; doubly so because of the armor. She could feel the hot stickiness of sweat congealing on her back and beneath her arms, and yet she felt cold inside.

Turning to her right, she gazed up upon the face of her lover - an outline of dull red in the shadows. She spoke out to him, softly: " _Nick...?_ " He didn't respond. He either didn't hear her, or his mind was somewhere else entirely - both were just as likely.

Reaching out delicately, the rabbit slipped her paw into the fox's large, padded hand. She didn't care who saw. It was too dark to notice, anyway. Judy held tightly to the paw as Wilde's fingers closed around hers, and then glanced down as she felt a soft warmth about her feet, seeing as the fox wrapped his tail about her.

The fact that she could see his tail - where before it had been total darkness - surprised the rabbit, and she turned up towards the windows, which were nothing more then two thin beams of wire-mesh, built into the very top parts of the two doors at the back of the large truck. These small apertures let in hardly any light and were too high for all but the largest of mammals to see out of, but were the best way to protect those inside from outside harm.

Looking up at the two, small windows, the rabbit saw beams of pure, white light shining in from outside. Not strobing or yellowed like the streetlights they were passing, these lights were coming from something following them directly behind - the headlights of another vehicle, perhaps?

Worried that they might be criminal pursuers, the rabbit's brow furrowed with tension, and she turned upwards towards the large polar bare who was stood close to the doors. "Snarlov," she called out, disturbing the silence which had hung, unbroken, for the entire trip so far.

The bear turned to her, tersely. "What?"

"What... what's that behind us?"

Snarlov pulled herself higher on the ceiling strap, straining to look up over the thin, wire-mesh windows. "It's a van. EMT, by the looks of it."

"EMT?"

"Emergency Medical Technician. They're with us. They're here in case one of us gets busted up. We avoid it, obviously, but it does happen."

"You should see the scar on my shoulder where a bullet hit," Johnson the lion said, proudly, "and the wound Jackson got later off the same guy. You remember him, Jackson?"

"Course I remember," the other lion said, distantly. "The Phantom Raspberry Blower of Old Zootown. How could I forget?"

"You lions are all the same: wimps," Rhinowitz scoffed. "You call those flesh wounds 'battle scars'? Hopps here should see the slash marks down my back where that tanked up, Irish Wolfhound went berserk on me."

"We get it, Rhinez," Snarlov said, irritably, "you got cut up by a dog once, but that doesn't trump getting shot at - which is something you've never encountered - so shut it, okay?"

Officer Rhinowitz - a junior officer to Snarlov - fell quiet.

"Anyway, " Snarlov chuckled, after a moment, "taking bullets aside, I think that our fox and our young wolf here are the only ones left to take a real injury, after Hopps sprained her ankle that time, don't you think?"

"Thanks, Snarlov," Wolfard said, flatly, "that makes me feel so much better about going on a raid tonight."

"Don't get too worked up about it," the polar bare said, the mammals about them chuckling warmly, "we all get our battle wounds. It's a mark of what we've done in the line of duty."

For a moment, the mood of the back of the car was lifted a little... and then Judy's next question broke it all.

"Anyone working here been KIAed?"

The good mood ended and the coldness and the darkness came flooding back. The conversations between the officers ended, as every single one of them but for Nick and herself turned away to look at nothing, avoiding Judy's gaze or looking at anyone else. Hopps turned and watched the officers around her, thinking how quickly an almost bearable atmosphere could be broken to shards by such a simple question.

After long moments of silence, Snarlov sighed bitterly; then said the words none of them wanted to hear. "Don't be stupid, child, of course they have. This isn't some kind of game. There is no respawn; no second chance. People die in this job. It happens. And it's on raids like this when it happens the most."

"Oh," the rabbit said, slowly. "I... see."

The bear growled. "Just shut up already," she hissed.

As silence fell again in the back of the van. Judy turned toward her lover and stepped closer, her arms slipping around his waist, his arm coming around her to keep her held up. A few of the officers glanced down at her. She didn't move away. Instead, she held him tighter, and pushed her helmeted and visored head into his side, trying to block out the light of the world; the noise; the dread hanging over her.

 _If this is the last time I'm gonna see him,_ Judy cried out to herself in her mind, her fears and her premonitions of horror getting the better of her, _then I'm sure as hell gonna make the most of him._

A breath of tremoring air escaped her lips as the fox's paw came to rest on her shoulder, his fingers slipping behind the clear visor of her helmet and scratching her, tentatively, just below the ear.

The trundling bounces of the van started to decrease. Hopps looked up towards the windows, sensing the vehicle was slowing down. The other officers fidgeting with their armor and stretching themselves around her, the rabbit prized herself from the fox's side, turning to face the large, gray doors as the truck slowed to a definite stop.

Not a word was spoken. Behind her, Nick placed a paw on her shoulder, leaning down close to her ear.

"You ready for this?" he said.

"No."

He chuckled. "Me neither."

From inside the van, the gathered officers heard the sound of the passenger side door - one of only two seats in the main driver's compartment - being slammed closed. What followed then was the sound of heavy footsteps rounding the side of the van towards the door, and then a reverberating clang, as the doors were opened.

"Alright," said the shape of Bogo, outlined black against the beaming headlights of the EMT behind him, "Erkin is just one block away from here. We can't get any closer without the risk of them hearing our approach. So," he added, stepping back from the door, allowing the lights of the van behind to shine into the main compartment, "let's get moving, shall we?"

Under the watchful gaze of Bogo, the officers of the ZPD stepped out of the claustrophobic heat of the van - many breathing deeply of the sharp, night air, as though stepping out form a warm bath into arctic lake.

"Last but not least," Bogo said, quietly, as Hopps and Wilde jumped down from the edge of the van to the floor below. "You know your duties?"

"Yes, sir," Hopps said, softly.

"Got your height-safety harnesses on?"

"Double checked, sir."

"Alright..." the cape buffalo sighed, "now, let's get on with it." The Chief of Police turned to the other officers of the ZPD, his voice raising and becoming confident again as he gave his orders. "Okay, you all know the plan. Hopps, Wilde: grab those grappling hook launchers."

"On it!"

"Rhinowitz, Francine: get over to the rear exit to Erkin and lock it down. We don't want anymammal slipping by."

"Yes, Chief."

"The four of you, get over to the rear side of Erkin Enterprise. Take the back alleys; stay out of sight. Everyone else, with me!"

Like a line of soldier ants, the thirty officers of the Zootopia Police Department - armored up; armed with tranquilizers and rubber bullet guns - jogged slowly but efficiently up the pavement, passing through arcs of yellowish light and then patches of darkness, as they marched beneath the streetlights.

Leading the troops from the front, the black figure of Bogo called out over his shoulder: "Splinter party: break off. Call in when you're in position, but make it quick."

Their speed increasing from a light jog to a run, Officers Hopps, Wilde, Francine and Rhinowitz overtook the other twenty-five Officers, running ahead of the crowd and advancing swiftly on a narrow, dark alley between two industrial buildings.

The first to reach the entrance to the alley, Nick Wilde, paused for a moment as the others caught up, taking a glance up the length of the street from the cover of the wall; looking upon the mass of Erkin Electrical Enterprise lurking further up the street. It looked so normal on the outside - so mundane and non-noteworthy; it seemed strange to the fox that _this_ was the cause of all their troubles in this sector... the source of all the drug deals, all the deaths and robberies, which had been troubling the ZPD for so long now.

A feminine voice called for him. "Nick, come on!" Nick turned swiftly and ran to catch up with Judy and the others, leaving the shelter of the wall; abandoning the light of the street for the gloom of the passageway.

"Francine," Nick called, as he caught up with him, "how far from here?

"You're asking _me_ , Wilde?" the elephant called back, "I thought you knew every road and alley in the city off by heart?"

"Yeah," the fox replied through panted breaths, "all the _inhabited_ places, that is. Not all the rows upon row of identical factory buildings in the industrial area. A doubt anyone could memorize the layout of this place."

"It's just four more buildings from this one. To get to the staircase, you'll have to circle around the side where all the garbage gets dumped. We'll be corned up against the next building along; we won't be able to see you."

"Boy," the fox said, dryly, "well that just fills me with hope anew."

"You'll be fine," Rhinowitz replied, "we're all hooked onto our radios anyway. If anything bad goes up, we'll be ready help you out. I may not personally agree with Bogo's decision to put you in charge," he added as the pace slowed and as the building approached, "but you're still fellow officers of the ZPD. And that's enough for me."

Nick and Judy slowed to a stop, the rhino and the elephant turning a corner and quickly vanishing into the darkness and silence which suddenly seemed to hang so heavily around them.

The fox and rabbit stood their, looking at each other in the tensile silence. After a moment, Nick opened his mouth. "Carrots," he said, trying to hold out the fear in his strained voice, "whatever happens tonight - whatever becomes of us - I just wanted you to know, I-"

"This is Officers Rhinowitz and Francine reporting, sir," the radios on Nick and Judy's belts crackled, "we are in position and ready for the raid."

"Received and understood," came Bogo's reply, crackled back a moment later. "Hopps, Wilde," he continued, "we're waiting on you now. Get up the stairs, get those harnesses secure and make it quick."

Judy sighed, forlornly. "What were you saying?" she asked, opening the gray case she had carried form the van and taking out the grappling hook launcher inside.

Nick shook his head, smiling thinly. "It doesn't matter," he said, taking and arming his in turn. "You know the rest, anyway." Taking a slow breath, Nick moved towards the building. "Come on, delaying it'll only make it worse."

Aiming up at the top of the roof of Erkin Electrics, the fox and rabbit fired off their metal hooks. They flew through the air, landed on the roof, and took hold of the sturdy metal which held it up. After tugging on the ropes sharply to check they were secure, they stepped towards the staircase before them, pulling up the slack as they made their way up.

Together, Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps climbed the rusted, iron stairs outside the crumbling frame of the industrial building of Erkin Electrical Enterprise. Judy, walking in front, spoke to the fox, as they rose towards what felt like their doom.

"If..." Judy trailed off as she forced herself not to succumb to emotion; biting down on her lip to keep a hold. "If... if this is the last time we do this - the last chance we have to speak with one another - I... I just want you to know that you were the very _-very-_ best friend I _ever_ had. And - and I want you to know," she added, her voice cracking and her breaths hitching, "that I would've done anything for you. I would've had your children, I would've been your wife, and I would've stayed with you until the end - to _whatever_ end - I would have stayed by you."

Through the sadness, Nick smiled. "Thank you, Judy Hopps. I'm sure you don't need me to tell you this," he continued, his voice rich with emotion, "but you were the best thing that ever came into my life. I was never deserving of any of it - not the kindness you showed me, not the trust and the love we have now. But enough with the tears," he said, sweetly; even managing a smile as he playfully continued, "and enough with the past tenses already. We're not dead yet, you know."

It was hard, but Judy did manage a smile. It was weak and cracked around the edges, yet it was a smile none the less.

"That's the one thing I loved - _love_ \- you for most. You always can make me smile, no matter what's going on around us." The two mammals shared a fond gaze for a long, heartfelt moment... and then the rabbit pulled out her radio ~

"Well," Nick said, "...this is it."

 _"Yeah,_ " she said, her voice barely a whisper, " _this is it._ This is Officer Hopps," she said, weakly, into the radio. "We're... we're in~" Raising a paw to wipe her tear-blurred eyes, the rabbit trailed off. The fox took the radio delicately from her paws, then pulled it towards his mouth.

"We're ready," he finished. "Do it."


	60. -ZERO HOUR-

~ _**F'r when the sands of time runneth dry... z'ro hour be upon thee ~**_

To the crack of steel hitting upon wood, the front door splintered inwards and the quiet chatting of the staff of Erkin Electrics erupted into a cacophony of noise and shouting as the officers of the ZPD charged in.

Like smoke before the wind, the mammals inside scattered before the wave of heavily armored officers which surged towards them, forefronted by the great and menacing tower of Chief Bogo himself.

The building was avalanched with a torrent of shouting and noise, screams of ' _ **police**_ ' and ' _ **on the ground, now!**_ ' mixing with the cries of fear and anger; the surprise and terror of the workers fleeing before them.

The slowest few were lept upon by the weighted mass of the front most officers who pinned to the ground a gray wolf and a boar before they'd even had the chance to run.

Deeper inside, the mammals who had remained in the main work room turned with a start at the noise and yells behind them, and as the shouts of police and their workmates in distress came flooding down the corridor. One of them, a badger, ran to the formammal's trailer marked 'office', pulling open the door and shouting inside:

"It's the police, they're here!"

"The key," the beaver shouted back, "where's the bloody key!"

"The - the key to the weapons? But it was just in here?!"

"So where is it? I mean, no one's been here but me and those... _ooh_ **damn!** "

The large doors which lead down the corridor to the reception burst open beside them as the mammals who had been just leaving before the raid started fled back inside.

The formammal swore violently and fled from the office, running towards the back end of the workroom with the other workers following behind, fleeing as the impenetrable wall of officers closed in behind them, sweeping them away like wheat before a harvester.

He reached the second exit from the building and pulled open the door to the alley, rushing into the darkness to escape. A second later, he skittered to a stop as he saw the dark, bulky shapes of an elephant and a rhino blocking his path, trying to turn and flee back in as the other fleeing mammals pushed against him to escape - not yet spotting the police awaiting in the darkness - and forcing the beaver-formammal into their hands.

Yelling out as the formammal was grabbed by the burly officers, the other mammals spotted Francine and Rhinowitz lurking in the darkness and turned again, pulling the firedoor hurriedly shut behind them as the leering officers made to advance, trapped inside with nowhere to go.

Officer Rhinowitz chuckled to Officer Francine, holding gruffly onto the now cuffed figure of the formammal as they heard the frantic shouts of the workers within.

Near by - on a rusted staircase above them - a fox and rabbit stood in silence, their bodies hunched and their muscles tensed in both fear and preparation should anyone try to get past them; waiting in edgy anticipation as they listened to the shouted description of events blaring out of their radios.

" _Go, go, go!"_ they heard someone shout.

" _Get 'im Anderson."_

" _Put the wrench on the ground!_ _I_ will _tazer you_."

" _Keep it tight_ ," they heard Bogo shout, " _watch for weapons_."

" _I count twenty left_ ," another called.

" _Eighteen_ ," corrected Bogo. " _Someone, down that bloodhound_."

" _Watch his claws!_ "

" _Grizzoli, take out his leg._ "

" _He's down._ "

" _Damn it, Francine,_ " Wolfard yelped, " _watch where you're stepping_."

" _Piss off, Wolfard; stay the hell out of the way_."

" _Will you two stop arguing and focus!_ " shouted Bogo. " _And close on that last one."_

 _"Watch it now, that badger's a big one."_

" _Keep an eye out for- armed,_ _ **he's armed!**_ "

A crack of gunfire ricocheted out and echoed across the city. Hopps and Wilde flinched and shared a glance. The shouting continued.

 **"** _ **Wolfard's down! Wolfard's down!**_ **"**

" _You runt-_ " Snarlov shouted, before her voice rose into a roar and they heard the badger begin to scream.

"Higgins," Bogo ordered, "call the EMTs; Jackson, get Wolfard out of here; Grizzoli, take charge of Snarlov and calm her down before she gets out of hand. Hopps, Wilde, keep a sharp lookout for stragglers, we don't need anyone sneaking out of here. We need to get them all!"

Hopps' and Wilde's cautious expressions turning to one of preparation, both mammals braced themselves as they heard the sound of rapid footsteps approaching from behind the door they were stood before.

With a grunt of effort, the door was kicked suddenly open and a gray blur shot towards them. The small mammal made to shove past the fox and rabbit - hardly even acknowledging they were there - until Hopps lept after it and grabbed the figure by the wrist.

"Stop," she shouted, as Nick hurried up behind her, "this is the police!"

The tan mammal in a gray hoody turned with snarling teeth towards the rabbit. Seeing the face, she jolted back in surprise - distracted for only an instant - which the tan mammal used to free himself from her grasp and slashed towards her with his claws at the ready. The rabbit reacted on instinct and caught both paws, holding them, grimacing, as they stretched, desperately, to claw at her face.

The moment only lasted half a second, and then Wilde was at hand to help her, grabbing the smaller mammal from behind and kicking the back of the gray-hoodied creature's legs out, forcing him onto the ground. The mammal twisted around and bit ferally at the fox's leg before Judy closed in behind, snatched onto his arms and tore him away.

The tan mammal threw himself at her, toppling Judy backwards. The rabbit fell. The tan fox was above her, clawing and slashing at her face and neck. The momentum of the fall rolled her, and they fell, together, off the edge of staircase.

 _"Hopps!"_

Nick scream echoed. There was free fall. The harness wire pulled tight. Nick stood, silent. Then, after too long waiting, Judy made herself herd.

"I... I'm still here," she said.

The fox's frozen heart started beating again. His chest sagged as the tension was let out of him. "Thank God," he muttered to himself, stepping towards the edge of the staircase and looking down. "You okay? He hurt you?"

"I'm fine, Nick," she said, horsey. "The armor... I'm fine."

Reaching over the edge, the fox grabbed onto the wire and started heaving her upwards. "I take it our, erm... our 'friend' is no more?"

"Actually," she said, unsurely, "he, erh..."

"Just _stop_ with the chit-chat already _,_ " the tan mammal called; Nick's expression fell at the voice. "Alright, I... I surrender now. Just... just help me back up!"

Leaning further over the edge to see, he saw a gray-hoodied mammal clinging literally for his life onto the rabbit's large foot as he dangaled over the three story drop onto hard concrete, swinging slowly as he clutched to her.

"Well," Nick said, a smirk growing, "talk about a lucky rabbit's foot..."

The mammal turned up towards him, his head swinging into the light. Their eyes met.

Wilde's expression fell. He stared down at him, dumbfounded. "What? No... F-"

"Mister Bains," the tan mammal shot, "my name is Mister Bains!"

"No," Nick repeated, his voice no less confused, " _wha-_ "

"My name's Mister-fucking-Bains, Nick! Just... just help me up - _I_ said _I surrender_ \- Jesus Christ!"


	61. The Baneful Mr Banes

The air outside was still and calm. The slight wind which blew through the empty city streets was chill and refreshing and came, like respite, to the officers of the ZPD, after the exhaustive and nerve-shaking activates of the raid before.

Breathing deeply of the reassuringly cool air, Chief Bogo looked on carefully as the last of the mammals - the former workers of Erkin Electrics - were loaded into the back of the armored truck which would be used to take them back to the PD.

"Keep moving," Grizzoli muttered, shunting a pawcuffed bloodhound into the back of the van and slamming the door shut behind him, dusting off his paws as he paced away. He spotted Bogo watching him, stopping and calling out: "That's the last of them, Chief. You want me to set off back to the HQ?"

"No," Bogo said, "we'll wait until we've all regrouped before setting off. Rhinowitz and Francine might've caught-"

"One more for you here, sir," Rhinowitz called, appearing from around the corner, ushering a shackled beaver just in front of him with Francine following behind. "This little one tried to escape out the back way. Everyone else turned and fled when they saw us, just like you said."

"Let go of me, bruit," the beaver shot, trying to pull away from his irons. "I am not a 'little one'! I am perfectly average-height among my people."

"I don't know," the rhino chuckled, "I think we could add a few more inches onto you. Right now, you're just laughable."

"I will not stand for this insufferable treatment any longer. Who's in charge here?" he barked. "I demand to know!"

"Shut your trap," Rhinowitz ordered. "They'll be time for you to argue later - from the inside of a cell."

"But we haven't even done anything wrong," he growled, resisting frivolously as he was pushed further towards the van, "we're just a simple electrics company. You had no right to come in here! Do you even have a warrant? I bet you don't even-"

Silence fell as the reinforced door of the van was slammed shut.

"All clear, sir," the rhino said, pacing towards his chief. "Hopps and Wilde call in yet?"

Bogo's expression darkened. "I thought they were with you."

Rhinowitz' brow furrowed. "What?"

"Hopps," Bogo bellowed, pulling out his radio, "report in. Hopps, come in. Wilde, are you there?"

"We're here, Chief," came Nick's voice a second later, his tone oddly smooth and calm given the situation. It raised Bogo's suspicions instantly.

"Report, Wilde. What's taking you?"

"Nothing's taking us," he replied, easily. "We just figured it would be better to hang back while the building was being searched in case anyone had been hiding during the raid and tried to scarper."

"That's acting without orders, Wilde," he grunted, "but I guess I can't complain at you for taking the initiative. Anyone come past?"

"Actually, we have had one visitor: a fella by the name of 'Banes'. Hopps and I heard his name mentioned by the receptionist when we recon'ed the place earlier. As far as we know, it's him who's the manager of this place.

"Alright. Hold there until the others finish the sweep of the area, then bring this 'Banes' character back to the truck."

"Understood."

"Think you can handle him on your own, or do you want me to send Rhinowitz over to collect him?"

"Sir, please," Nick replied, "it's just a fennec. Hopps has him in cuffs at the moment. I don't think he'll give us any trouble."

"Enough with being cocky, Wilde. Just see you and Hopps get back here safe. We've had one serious incident already; we do not need another. Bogo, out."

Pacing forwards, the Chief of police made towards the armored van, checking on the collection of mammals inside.

Behind him, the Chief heard the Emergency Medic's van being opened: the sound of the metal door leading into the back of the ambulance-like vehicle lowering on pistons to create a ramp to the ground.

Soft footsteps approached down the ramp, and then a voice cleared its throat politely, but expectantly, behind him. The buffalo turned, and looked down into the intelligent, sharp blue eyes of a tall, white hare.

Chief Bogo nodded respectfully down towards her. "Nurse Flo," he greeted. "How is he?"

She wasn't taller than most hares especially, but the long lab coat she wore and the sure and upright way in which she held herself gave off the continual impression of greater height. So much so, that most people found themselves remembering her as being several inches taller then she was.

Her eyebrows raising, the hare reached up and took the pare of black, wide-rimmed glasses away from her face, wiping the lenses on the sleeve of her white coat. Bogo waited, patiently.

"In all honesty, sir," she said, repositioning her glasses back onto her face, "it couldn't have been much worse." The voice was calm and matter-of-fact; unhurried and sure of purpose. "He's lost a severe amount of blood from a number of wounds all across the body. I've patched him up as best as I can, but he needs the treatment of a full medical unit. We may also need to operate on his eye. I've attempted to inspect it, but if liquefaction has already occurred, it would be hazardous to attempt to open it and so I will be unable to make a full examination the palpebra - or 'eyelid' - until I get him back to the clinic. Either way, it's not the eye which is the real problem right now."

Sighing, the Chief lent against a lamppost. "Do you think he'll make it?"

"He should be stable, " the hare said, her paws slipping into her white coat pockets, "but we'll just have to see if he lasts the night. If you want my professional opinion, from what I've seen so far, I shouldn't think this'll be fatal. But... well, we'll just have to see. There's really very little more we can do for now."

Bogo nodded and gazed off at nothing through the blackness of the sky. She gazed down in thought for a moment, then breathed a sigh, turning back towards the buffalo and making her voice heard.

"You know," Flo said, a trace of rare uneasiness about her voice, "some serious questions are going to be asked. That polar bare made a real mess of him. I realize that he was armed at the time and that Snarlov was only acting in defense of Wolfard, but... if they can get a good lawyer, I've seen far less get passed as police brutality."

"Well," Bogo grunted, distantly, "I'm sure I can find a way to word the report to make the whole thing sound like an accident. You can always bend the truth a little in these situations."

"My thoughts entirely."

"How is Wolfard holding up, anyway?"

"He's shaken: showing standard signs of shock, disappointed at himself for not being able to avoid the situation, and also angry at himself for jeopardizing the safety of the mission and your officers."

"So no damage physically, then?"

"He has some pretty bad bruising about the torso," she said, raising a paw and adjusting her glasses. "He'll need some ice packs, a few days of taking it easy, perhaps a week or so on paperwork duty, and I don't know if his third rib might've been bruised, but it's nothing more serious. You can thank the armor for that. Did you recover the pistol?"

"Yeah, it's nothing special. He'd had it stuffed in his jeans; it'd been there the whole time. he'd pulled it out and taken a pot shot at Wolfard before we could do anything. You sure he'll be okay? No long-term adversities?"

"I'm positive - don't worry about him. It's the badger who shot him I'd be more worried about if I were you. The fatality of a citizen during a raid - even a guilty one - is going to be far harder to brush over in a report."

"In your capable hands," Bogo said, "I'm sure, that badger will be able to pull through any injury."

"That remains to be seen," she said, flatly. "And, on the subject of injuries," she added, her head tilting to one side, "I see you have a set of three claw marks on the lower side of your left leg."

"Hey? Oh, that. It's only a slight injury. I'm surprised you noticed."

"Yes, well. Care to let me take a look at it?"

"It's just a flesh wound. I'll stick a plaster on it, later."

"That wasn't a question, Chief."

Flo stood waiting with her arm directing the Chief towards the open back of the EMT van with the same expression and posture of a school headteacher directing a child. Bogo reacted in much the same manner: resisting and making as though to argue back for a moment, grunting agitatedly, and then marching, head low, into the back of the van.

A thin smile crept onto the female hare's face after Bogo had disappeared inside - a thin smile she attempted to control as she turned smartly and paced back inside after him, pressing the button to pull the door to the EMT closed.

"Off with the trousers."

"Flo, I can just roll up-"

"I said off."

The Chief grumbled, the sound of jingling emerging as he undid his belt. "This is humiliating," he muttered.

"It's for your own good. Just close your eyes, and pretend I'm your mother."

"Yeah, like that's gonna help~ "

"Sit down. Straighten your leg; put it on this."

" ~treating me like a damn six-year-arh!"

"Oh, don't be a baby. Sit still and let me disinfect this wound."

"Will I need stitches, Doctor?" he said, sarcastically.

"Stitches? I've seen paper cuts more life-threatening than this. And I'm not a Doctor," she added, sharply, "not yet. I'm a nurse."

...

Not far away, a rabbit wearing ZPD raid armor sat on the fifth step of a fire-escape staircase with her head in her paws. She raised her head, slowly, and gazed down upon the figure of a small, tan mammal in a gray hoodey sat on the bottom step, attached securely to the rails of the staircase by a pare of pawcuffs, which the figure of a red fox, also in armor, was unlocking.

"But this is ridiculousness," Judy shot, in response to Nick's proposition. "Apart from everything else that's wrong with this, they'll just straight up recognize him!"

"They can't recognize him, Carrots, they've never met him. Remember when we pulled him in for questioning earlier; we did it on the QT? That was for exactly this reason. Come on," he continued, lifting the small frame of Mister Banes onto his feet, "we can't tarry any longer. They'll come looking for us soon."

Bains grunted but didn't resist as he was pulled up, making his way slowly along the path, being steered, with his arm securely held onto by Nick who paced just behind him.

Judy followed beside them. "This still isn't going to work, Nick. If they question him, and he starts to talk, all it'd take-"

"I ain't saying nothin'," Bains muttered, pacing, in shackles, just in front of the fox. "And if I am made to open up," he added, "I'll be sure Wilde here ends up-"

"We all know the situation here, " Nick cut in. "Now, it's up to Hopps and I how we're gonna proceed. We need time to work this out and how this all fits in together - and that's time we don't have right now - so, for the moment, we're gonna play along with this little charade... and you're not gonna say a word."

The pawcuffed mammal grumbled under his breath, kicking away a small piece of brick as he walked, sending it skittering down the alleyway.

"I don't like the way this is going," Hopps said, watching the smaller mammal cautiously. "This has the potential for gigantic damage - not for Zootopia or for the ZPD - but for you, personally."

"I'll work something out," Wilde said, dryly. "I talked my way out of tighter situations back in The Firm. I just need time to think this through. I... I think I can fix this... I think."

"But at what cost?" Judy said, softly.

Wilde's pace falling to a stop, he turned to the rabbit stood tentatively beside him. "Whatever it takes to keep this - what we have - from being broken apart."

"You're gonna lie to them? To your chief of police?"

"It's no worse than straight-up telling the truth."

"I'm sure if you're completely honest with Bogo he'll understand. He's tough on the outside, but he's forgiving underneath."

"I'm sure he would understand," Nick replied, tersely, "and yeah, he may even forgive me. But that doesn't change the fact he would still have a legal obligation to hurl my arse in a cell."

"If they find out you lied, they..." Judy sighed, bitterly. "I don't even want to think about it. But if nothing else you'll loose your job, and they're sure to charge you with a criminal conviction."

"That they will," Bains said, a sick grin forming as he turned towards the rabbit, "but if ya do nothing to help me out, I'll tell 'em everything I knowz anyway, an' Wilde'll be sent to lock-up, just the same."

Judy scowled down at the tan fox. "You're a little git, Finnick. You know that?"

Banes grinned at her, easily. "Can't argue with that," he said, "but at least I'm a little git who ain't going to jail. Leastways," he added, his eyes locking with Nick's... "not on my own."

Wilde shoved the small fox's arm, Finnick stumbling a few steps as he was forced onwards. "Keep moving, Bains," Nick said, hotly. "Until we figure out what's going on, you're gonna behave just like every other prisoner. So stop talking, and keep walking."

The tan fox chuckled, dryly, as as carried on pacing down the narrow alleyway - Judy glowering at him though the darkness. "You've got me in chains alright Nickie, but boyye I could 'ave you banged up quicker than you can imagine. And there ain't nothin' youse can do about it. Face it: you ain't go no choice but to help me out."

"That remains to be seen," Judy hissed, blackly.

"Babe," Finnick retorted, grinning, "If you can use that dumb little bunny brain you've got between them dumb, bunny ears to think of a way out've this... well, you're a smarter hick than Wilde and I put together."


	62. Calamity Banes

Under the watchful, scornful gaze of Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde, Finnick clambered up into the back of the ZPD armored truck, turning back towards the officers with a sly grin as he stepped inside... a sly grin which fell a second later, as the reinforced doors were slammed closed and the back of the van was plunged into darkness.

" _Shit!_ " he spat, now no longer needing to hide his distress; kicking out at the metal wall and doing nothing more than hurting his toe, scowling at the floor, ferociously.

"Mister Bains, sir," said a voice beside him in the darkness, the voice of the bloodhound, "what are you gonna do now?"

"Knock your _head_ against these doors, Philemon Take!" Finnick shot." And if that duz not shatter dem, an' I am allowed some peace from foolish questions, I will tryz and think up a way outta this."

...

Outside the van, Nick and Judy shared a nervous glance.

"I don't like where this is going," Judy said. "Where's it gonna end?"

"I don't know... yet. I haven't had think this through. This is gonna need some careful planning."

"But what's he gonna do," Judy pressed, "how do we proceed from here?"

"I don't _know_ Hopps! I haven't, had time, to think, it, through."

"Come on, Nick, we're both cops. Not only that, but Bogo wants us trained as Detectives. I'm sure we could figure this out." Nick said nothing, but looked thoughtfully down at the floor.

"Alright, Judy said, pacing round the side of the van, out of sight of the other officers, "let's look at this constructively. What is it Finnic wants?"

Nick thought for a brief moment as he paced around to join her. "To get out of trouble, clearly."

Her gaze falling, Judy signed, soulfully. "Right. And the only way he's got of doing that right now is-"

"By going through me."

"Right again. But, surely... " Her eyes rose again. "...even if it risks you losing everything?"

Nick huffed, his arms crossing upon his chest. "Carrots, I've known Fin a _long_ time. We've had a friendship of a sort, yeah, but it's always been more for business-sake than out of actual fondness. Oh, we'd go out of our way to help each other out, sure... but it's every fox for himself underneath, always has been."

"No favors among thieves."

"That's the problem. Finnic, more than likely, is simply of the opinion that I _owe_ it to him to help him out. He doesn't see that my being a cop as some great, honorable duty; if anything, he sees it as a great duty to _him_ to get him out."

"But how does he even think you _can_ get him out? He must know you don't have anything like the legal authority to just 'let him go free'. Not even Bogo has that power."

"No, I don't have the power," the fox said in slow thought, "but I still have a position of trust. I can still freely move about the ZPD without attracting much attention - which is more than can be said for pretty much one hundred per cent of all Fin's other 'friends'."

"So what are you saying? How does that help?"

Nick thought for a moment more. "Blatantly, a straight-up prison break. Grab the keys, unlock the gate, and try and slip him out without anyone noticing.

Startled, Judy blinked up at the fox in silence; then sudden anger came. "This is ridiculous," the rabbit shot, turning and thumping her fist on the metal wall of the van, "we hold _all_ of the cards against him! We have the legal authority, the evidence, the proof, the-"

"But for all that he still holds the ace. Now, not very long ago, I would've damned with my being put away and owned up - I had nothing going for me, after all - but, now I've found you..."

Nick reached out and took Judy's clenched paw in his own, holding it, tenderly, until the tensed-up fingers loosened and slipped around his.

"I still would openly admit my past to Bogo," he said, drawing Judy' paw up to his face and rubbing across his cheek, "if you wanted me to."

"No... no, you're more important to me than the fact you used to be a crook. I know it's selfish. I know I shouldn't. I know that that practically undermines and jeopardizes everything I've worked for; makes me a hypocrite for knowingly dating an unconvinced ex-Firm operative, but ~"

Trailing off, Judy withdrew her paw from Nick's, her head tilting to one side slightly as she looked up towards him. "Do what you need to do, Nick," she said, her voice strained but steadfast, "just... just don't get caught, please, and... and when it happens - when you do it, I..." She signed, and her gaze fell away to her feet. Nick watched her carefully, as she raised a paw and nipped the bridge of her nose, closing her strained and stressed eyes.

"I don't want to know about it," she said, faintly. "I don't want to know what happened, just... just feed me whatever story you feed Bogo, and I won't question you on it or judge you on what you say."

Nick held in a breath; silence lingered for a moment. "I thought we said no more lies?"

"I know, Nick," she said, her eyes falling closed and her voice becoming a notch weaker still, "I know what I said, and I still stand by that belief, but... I just..."

"Ah, here you are. What are you two doing skulking back here?" Bogo said, appearing from around the side of the van. He stopped before the rabbit and the fox, looking grimly towards one another and not saying a word. His brow furrowed at the lack of response; then he turned to Wilde with a teasing smile.

"What are you up to, Wilde: leading Hopps here into the shadows. Not up to anything untoward, are you?"

Nick shook his head, his expression blank.

"What's that, Wilde? No witty come back?"

"Chief jus _t..._ just shut it. I'm not in the mood."

Bogo made as though to goad fox, but changed his mind at the last - this raid was a first time for both of them; a little leniency was more than deserved.

"How's Wolfard," Judy said, the strength returning to her voice.

"Oh, he'll live," Bogo said, purposefully trying to move away from Nick's statement of before. "He's a little bruised, a little shaken, but that's normal. It'll make him a better officer, to. It's surprising how much taking a bullet can bring things into perspective."

"Where is he? Can we see him?"

"Sorry, Hopps," Bogo said. "Wolfard's already on the way to the hospital."

"I... _you_ said he was just a little bruised?"

"He is, it's just standard procedure to spend the night in a medical facility after taking a bullet. He'll be back on Monday."

"So, you ever taken a bullet in the line of duty?" Judy said.

"One or two, over the years," he said, with the indefinable air that this was a complete understatement. "I picked most of my old injuries up back when I was, well - you ever cover a gang called 'The Firm' in your training?"

"I've, erh... yeah, I've heard of them."

"I was the acting Chief of Police for the Tundratown area, the precinct they operated in most vigorously. It took a lot of grueling and a lot of time, but I managed to clean the streets of them eventually."

"Oh, I... I didn't know that."

"Well, 'the powers that be' decided it better we swept that little gem of Zootopia's history under the rug. A shame really, there were quite a few loose ends I wanted tied up before the government sanctioned the whole thing as 'case closed'."

Judy's eyes flicked to Nick's, but she didn't allow her gaze to linger.

"Anyway," Bogo continued, "talking of 'closed cases', how are you two holding up?"

"We're fine," Judy said. "It felt like we spent forever on the staircase waiting for the raid to start; now it's happened, the whole thing feels like it was over in seconds."

"Something like, a half remembered dream?"

"Something like that."

Bogo nodded. "You did well - both of you. Now, if there is no further business to clear up here, I think the next step in our operation is to get back get back to the PD, unload are human cargo into their cells, debrief, and retire for the night."

"You're keeping all the prisoners locked in the department?" Nick asked.

"Only overnight - we don't have the cell capacity to hold all of them. A van will be along early tomorrow to transport them all to Blackheath prison. They'll be trialled and processed for information there."

"What do you mean they'll be trialled there? Prisons don't have that kind of facility."

"It's the largest prison this side of the globe, Hopps. In terms of its cubic feet, Blackheath is probably the biggest of all the prisons in Zoophon. It has its own restraint, hospital, church and, indeed, its own magistrates court - all 'in house' as it were."

Judy nodded softly; Bogo turned to Nick, and looked at him for a moment with a curious expression. "I need the both of you to hang back for a while after the debriefing. There are some matters to be cleared up."

"Oh, sir," Judy started, "that's impossible, I have to see... that is, I have an appointment to keep."

"Don't worry, Hopps," he said, already aware from Jack of their planned meeting later on, "I'll only need _you_ for a moment."

"Me? What about Nick?"

The Chief turned back to Wilde and held his gaze. "That's another matter," he stated. "Now come on, the two of you. Grizzoli will be driving the armored truck back to the department; Auxiliary officers are making there way towards us with our standard means of transport as we speak."

The Chief of the Zootopia Police Department turned and paced away from the two, smaller officers who watched him, quietly, as he departed, looking back to one another with partly troubled and partly revealed expressions after he had left.

Inside the brightly-lit premises of Erkin Electrics, the officers completed their sweep of the area. No further mammals had been found hiding in the dark corners of beneath machinery and so, with a signal sent to Bogo, the armored truck was given the signal, and sent trundling its way back towards the ZPD.

The officers lingered, the effects of the adrenaline still swirling inside their bodies, pacing back and fourth with no way of venting some of the adrenal energy surging through them. It would soon whither away, exactly like a sugar rush, and leave them exhausted.

This being in the heart of the industrial sector after nightfall, there were no public around to have witnessed the raid. No public meant no press, and so a soft and reassuring silence hung in abundance.

Shortly, the officers' ZPD cruisers arrived - their headlights shining down the long and wide roads, pulling up alongside the curb close by to the officers; their drivers - the auxiliary officers of the ZPD, elsewise known simply as 'the Auxiliaries' - stepped out.

The Auxiliaries were a group of part-time and volunteer civilians who ranged from college or university students looking for some part-time income, to the elderly and mildly disabled, who had not the physical ability to pass the policing exams, but still wished to help keep the peace where they were able.

It was true: they were the young and the week; but their combined sense of civic duty, and the diligence with which they served, still granted them merit as a vital - though not widely appreciated - part of sustaining the Law and Order of Zootopia.

Hopps and Wilde's comparatively small police cruiser pulled up in front of them. A young, brown wolf stepped out and saluted them, smartly. The fox and rabbit giving their thanks, they stepped inside the familiar comfort of _Their_ car, fastened their belts and, following the convoy of cars ahead of them, went on their way;

Towards the glittering lights and oppressive darkness - the stark juxtaposition of patriotic Utopianists and crime-riddled squalor - which was _Zootopia_.


	63. The Call Before the Pride

The line of police cars trailed along through the city streets, the burly, uniformed occupants within grinning, chuckling and congratulating their partners and the other officers over the radio.

The effects of the fear and the adrenaline wearing off, the officers of the ZPD became cheerful, and every car was filled with the sound of lighthearted chatter... all except for one.

Within this car, the air was quiet and still. The driver focused entirely on following the cruiser ahead, and the passenger was occupied with gazing at the buildings as they continued along the street. Not a word was said between them. Both were too fearful - both the rabbit and the fox - of what was to come on their return to feel in the mood for 'celebration'.

After long moments of silence, Nick turned away from the passenger-side window. "Mind if I stick the radio on, Carrots?"

"Go ahead," she said, "I don't think this silence is doing either of us good."

Nick flicked on the radio and kept it on whatever came on first: a piece of instrumental music which was only slightly too cheerful for the moment. Neither cared if it was good or bad music. It was just something to block out the endless stream of morbid thoughts.

The streets narrowed as they left the industrial sector, the factories and industry buildings became apartments, apartments turned to businesses and, as they approached the center of the city, the businesses turned to government buildings as they neared the edifice of the ZPD headquarters.

The cars' radios crackled and Bogo's voice made itself heard: "Listen up, all of you. I know you'll all be wanting to get out of your uniforms and back home, but procedure dictates there must be a debriefing in the bull pen first. So, once our mammalarian cargo has been safely deposited into cells, that is exactly where I expect to see you."

Judy signed, turning a corner into the ZPD car park.

"Hopps," Nick said, the rabbit maneuvering slowly between a dozen other parking cars, "this may well be the last time we get to speak openly for a while. I just wanted to let you know now that, well... when you talk to Jack, and he starts trying to drag my name through the dirt... there's a good chance a great deal of it'll probably be true ~"

Judy didn't respond. She extinguished the engine and turned to Nick, in the darkness. "You _were_ involved in a raid before, weren't you?"

"You remember the time I told you why and when I left The Firm?"

"Yeah, you said you'd had a near-death experience."

"That, is what I was referring to."

Judy licked her lips, turning to stare at the dull, brick wall in front of them.

Nick adjusted his chair, leaning back further into the seat. "It was... what, two? Three years after I'd recruited Jack? I can only assume Jack thought that he'd had enough help getting noticed around the MI-Z and getting promotions, because, one day, he decided to go up to the 'new' Chief of Police, made up a story about how he'd been observing our movements from affair, and told him... about where all our safehouses were."

"The 'new' Chief of Police? You mean Chief Bogo?"

"Yep." He chuckled, dryly. "You know, it's funny how life all works out. The only reason Bogo is head of Precinct One now, is because he managed to dismantle The Firm; the only reason he could do that was because of what Jack told him; and the only reason Jack knew what he told him... is because Irecruited him to The Firm."

"So what are you saying: that if you hadn't recruited Jack, he hadn't gone to Bogo, that we might have a different Police Chief?"

"And The Firm would still be in operation today. And you - just like every other trainee officer at the time - would've been posted there in a vain effort to strengthen the crumbling police influence. And because you are utterly incorruptible you would've refused all bribes, ignored all threats and would have wound up dead within the week."

"I wouldn't have met you," she added, like that was the more striking fact.

"Yeah, I'd still be up to my neck in crime. As I said, it was only the raid which threw both my and Scar's faith in our immortality. It's surprising how different a raid can look from the side of the criminals. I never thought I'd be doing one with the law."

"So what happened?"

"A blur's all I can remember really," he said, flatly, "lots of screaming, shouting, noise lights. I was chased, shot at, trapped inside a room with a dozen other mammals." Nick's voice became strained, his fist slowly clenching as the memories came back.

"We hid there in the silence listening to the screams and the gunshots. The ZPD didn't have much of a choice but to use lethal force back in those days - and the raid armor they wore back then was nothing like the crap we use now, it does the job, sure, but this ain't nothing but a sardines tin compared with the suits of armor they used to ware. They were mean-looking bastards back in the day, and no one cared about police brutality or unnecessary fatalities." Nick's voice started to rise in tone and temper as he spoke.

"It was a fucking war, Hopps. I was Chief Recruitment Officer for a criminal sect in a fucking war against all civilization. There was no security, there was no home, there was no time to enjoy life. You had to keep moving, you had to stay sharp; we all knew all the time that any moment could be our last; that the cops could come bursting in at any moment and mow the lot of us down, cut us down, come charging in with all their malice and their rage and-"

Judy grabbed the hyperventilating fox. " _Nick_ ," she cried, "it's alright, I'm here, you don't need to worry, I'm here." The rabbit hushed a number of soothing sounds into the fox's ear, holding her arms around his soft neck as she felt his heart rate and breathing slow.

"I've never seen you like this before," she said, stuttering a little. "Are you okay? Is there someone I can call or something?"

Nick smirked, faintly. "It's... I'll be fine, Carrots, I'm not schizophrenic or anything."

"But you were getting so - so desperate! So frantic and futile!"

"Yeah," he said, dryly, "that's what PTSD'll do to you. With all the time that's passed, I've gotten pretty good at keeping a lid on it, but that raid - it just ~"

"I understand," Hopps said, sincerely, moving her paws from around his neck and placing them on his cheeks. Calmer, Nick took Judy's paws away from his face and held them in his hands.

"I lived with that knowledge for five years, Judy... and it still scared the shit out of me when it finally happened. As I said," he added, gazing at nothing, "I was chased, shot at... I barely got away with my life. I got cut up and bruised pretty bad, but no one got a good look at me. Later, I met back up with Scar, and she told me Firm safehouses all over the city had been compromised.

"It didn't all happen in one night," he continued. "It took weeks, months, of raid after raid to bring The Firm down. I could've got in touch with The Krays and rejoined at any point - they only left me alone 'cause they thought I was dead - and, perhaps, with my interpersonal skills we might've been able to rebuild some of our former stature and recover... but it wasn't worth the risk. I was tired of fighting; I just wanted to settle down somewhere safe. I went and found a flat somewhere in a quiet part of town, moved in with Scarlett, and we went from there."

"But," Hopps added, softly, "then The Kreys found out...?"

"And killed her," he said, cheerlessly, "yeah. So now you see why I have such a 'high' opinion of the 'reverential' Mister Savage. He caused it - well, _I_ caused it, by employing him. He was no undercover sleeper-agent - I would've sniffed that out the day I met him - but what he is, and always was... is an opportunist. It's what made him such a good spy for me then, and what continues to make him so dangerous now."

Judy felt Nick's eyes on her, and turned away from gazing at the wall to face his expressive, emerald eyes. "When you speak to him tonight, you going to tell him how much you tricked him? How easily you pulled the wool over his eyes?"

"Yeah," she said, a cheeky grin growing, "I think it'll be fun to rub his face in it a bit; get a little payback off him after all he's done to you. I can't wait to see the look on his ~"

Nick gazed at her, sternly - like a parent and a misbehaving kid. "This ain't fun and games, Carrots," he said, earnestly, "if he sees you as a threat to him or his career he will find some way of..." Trailing off, Nick signed, sitting back in his seat and rubbing his eyes with a paw.

"You're gonna have to watch yourself when you speak to him tonight. Take a gun, a tranquillizer; don't be afraid to use it. He's a dangerous mammal when he wants to be - and he _wants_ to be far more often then he _has_ to be. I'm good at understanding how people work, and Jack is a very predictable person when you know what makes him tick, but even I'm not sure how he'll react. My advice: try and keep him completely in the dark about this whole thing; let him leave thinking you're acting against me. Just find out what you can, make your excuses, and leave. Don't spend longer with him than you have to."

"Don't tell him we duped him?"

"I don't think he'd take kindly to it."

"Point taken. Alright, I'll keep quiet about it, I guess."

Nick nodded. "Come on, Carrots," he said, opening the car door, "they'll come looking for us if we don't turn up soon."

"What are you doing about Finnic?" Hopps said, standing.

Nick thought as Judy locked the car. "I'll wait 'til you've left to see Jack. Bogo wanted to talk with me about something anyway; hopefully I can slip him out."

"You're just gonna free him? Just break him out just like that?"

" 'Course I'm not, not by choice anyway. I'll talk to Fin and see if there's another way - see if we have some advantage over him we can use - but I'm not gonna hold my breath." Nick sucked on his teeth; Judy walking around the side of the car to strand before him. "What worries me is: what's he doing working for the same guys who killed his brother?"

"No ideas?"

"I... _no_ , it's far to much a stretch. Anyway, this could be it, Hopps: if something messes up while I'm sneaking Fin out, or if Jack gets a little too cleaver, this could be the last time we talk to each other as upstanding citizens of the law. Gimme a kiss."

She did - a sweet kiss which didn't last nearly as long as either wanted - before they walked, together, towards the back entrance to the ZPD.

"What do you think Bogo wants to speak to you about?" Judy said, the two of them moving further away from the car.

"Nothing much, probably," he said, entering the code and pulling the security lock open. "I still owe him that overtime for taking Monday off, it's probably something to do with that."

"Well, if you're sure," the rabbit said as the metal door swinging closed behind her. "Come on, we'd better hand our gear back to Officer Bloat."

...

"Where d'you keep the damn coal in this dump?"

Shuck nodded towards a heavy cloth covering a wicker basket in the corner, beside the iron stove - the fading embers of which were the only source of heat in the small, iron room.

George made an agitated sound in the back of his throat, turning, and tugging away the cloth. Inside the basket was a mound of pieces of dusty coal and a small shovel. The coyote muttered under his breath as he stuffed the shovel into the mound of coal and started piling it into the stove.

"Cold?"

" _You're cold!_ " George snapped back, aware this comeback made no sense but in to fowl a mood to care."

"Would've helped if you hadn't of smashed my window, y'know."

"Shut up! Stupid mutt. Not another word, you hear?"

"...I remember back in the Great Winter of Seventy-Nine I was moored up in-"

" _ **No!**_ You've always gotta keep this 'mightier than thou' monologue, haven't ya," the coyote shot. "You've always gotta point out how 'you've dealt with colder'," he continued, spitefully, " 'you've dealt with windier', 'you've dealt with bigger' or 'stronger' or 'more dangerous'. You're always having to build yourself up; out-do everyone else around you, ain't ya!"

Shuck picked an ear clean. "Not my fault kiddie-winks like yourself ain't raised properly these days."

"You're not God, you know!"

Shuck just grinned, his barbed teeth glinting.

A slight shiver ran down the coyote's back - those teeth had always creeped him out. He didn't let it show, however, and he forced himself to remain in there with him in an effort to try and regain some of his 'street cred' in the eyes of his subordinates.

The shaggy hound sat back in his faded armchair, his arms crossing his chest as George tried to get as close as he was able to the fire.

"So what's the next step?" Shuck said, his breath turning to vapor before him. "What's the next stage in this little scheme of yours?"

"My-"

"Not that this is your scheme," the dog added, offhandedly. "No, you didn't come with all this - you don't have the smarts for that; if you did you'd be smart enough not to be sat in here with me - no, you're clearly just a tiny pawn in this."

"Unusual, don't you think," George said, stepping closer to the dog, "for a 'pawn' to be put in supreme command of the largest import of drugs this city has ever seen!"

"How much longer 'til it's all unloaded? I'm getting cramp sittin' here."

"You will stay here for as long as it takes. There are two more crates which need to be unloaded; we'll leave after that."

"We?"

"That's right, mutt," George said, coldly, "you're coming with us; we're going on a nice long voyage together."

"Oh, goodie."

"Oh... _'goodie'_!?"

"It'll be nice to be out a sea again," Shuck said through gritted teeth, "the ebb and flow, the gentle rocking, the endless stretches of deep blue sea. And Nyilas, what about him? He's been told you'll let him and his wife and kids go if he helps you. He's helped you now, so-"

"Yeah yeah, the old-timer will be reunited with his wife and kids and the lot of them can live 'happily ever after' and die in whatever way befits them."

"You just be sure that happens - there'll be hell to pay if it doesn't."

"I thought I was already going to 'burn' or something."

"Oh, you are," Shuck said, flatly, "but if something happens to Nyilas or his kids - then... I enjoy it."

The fire inside the iron stove picked up, the bright, orange flame shining out into the room; reflecting off Shuck's one eye which glinted red in the light.

George stood there under the hound's heavy gaze, glanced to the polar bare who stood, armed, in the window, looked back to Shuck... and bottled out.

"What's taking you so long," he shouted out the window, moving (just a little too quickly) to open the door and get out of the small shack. "Come on, get a move on," he called out to the other mammals, "we don't have all night."

Shuck Black looked about himself in the dim light of the fire and his oil lamp on the table. On his own only now since the escaped had started, the aging dog allowed a slow, grunted sigh to escape him, his eye falling closed as his every muscle slackened with fatigue.

 _Your whole life's been one bleeding fight after another._

"Come on, then," he mumbled to himself, slipping a paw into his pocket; feeling the reassuring cold of his flick-knife within, "another 'do or die' moment. Let's see if your luck runs out on _this_ one."

 _Right,_ he thought, feeling his pulse increase and hot blood being pumped through his old body _... right... **right!**_

...

"Sooo... you're the little scrapper in charge of this mob of pathetic excuses for honest citizens; the one behind all the troubles you've been giving us."

Finnic rolled his eyes - he had dealt with this act many times before.

"I know... exactly what your game is in this. You are going to tell me the names of your other associates and the location of the rest of the Hives. But before that... your own name - and address - will suffice."

"The name's Bains," he said, "Frankfurt Banes of number eight seven two, Coven Square. Next question, capeesh?"

"That's Chief Bogo of the Precinct One Police Force to you, Frank. Now, it's a real mess you've gotten yourself into here, isn't it? Not only have you been found in possession of a vast quantity of illicit substance, but there is also a phenomenal amount of proof pointing towards the fact that you are in league with a vast criminal sect."

Finnic gazed off to one side, at the giant mirror they had in all the police films which could be looked through from the other side. Judging by the lack of tape recorder in this room, the small fox guessed he was currently being filmed by a surveillance system in the other.

Bogo beat his arm down on the table, making it lurch suddenly to the left. Finnic looked back easily as the buffalo's large finger pointed aggressively towards him.

"Who are you working for!?"

"Who am I working for?"

"Their names. Who's paying you? Who gives the orders?"

"Das a lotta questions there," Finnic said, impersonating the voice of a 'simpleton'. "I don't know if I can quite remember all dem questions if you give us them all at once."

"Damn you!" Bogo shouted, beating the table again and standing. "You listen here," he said, leaning imposingly over the small fox, "now whatever you do, you're looking at a very long time in prison ahead of you. Moreover, you're looking at a very long time in Blackheath."

Finnic's wandering gaze shot back. "Blackheath?" he said, slowly.

"You've heard of it?" Bogo chuckled, cruelly. "Good. Then you know it can be a real nasty place if you get put in the wrong ward. I can help you," he said, slowly, sitting down again and allowing the tone of his voice to soften. "I can help make sure you end up in one of the nice wards... the ones that have running water, and electricity, and three meals a day."

The small fox's eye darted from side to side - he knew exactly what Blackheath could be like. "All... alright," he stuttered, unsteadily, leaning forwards on the table. "Alright, I'll tell you who's in charge here."

The Chief sat back in his chair and pulled out a notepad and pen - the interview was being recorded - but Bogo always found taking notes enhanced the atmosphere.

The buffalo cleared his throat. "Name?"

"Gabriel. He's name is A. Gabriel."

"A. Gabriel?" Bogo said, curiously, "What's the 'A.' stand for?"

"Archangel."

The Chief's curious expression fell flat. "Archangel Gabriel..." he muttered, standing. "Alright, wise guy, be that way. I just hope you like sleeping on iron, mattressless beds and savaging for worms and insects to eat."

"Well," Fin said, smirking, "they kinda _are_ my natural diet~"

Bogo blinked. He grunted, stood, and started to make from the room. "Damn bloody foxes, I thought dealing with Wilde was bad enough; now there's to of you wisecracking, suave bastar~... Alright," he said, pausing at the doorway, "be like that, you'll come around sooner or later. For now, I think I'll let you sit and think about your future for a while."

Stepping outside, the Chief inserted a large key into the large keyhole, turning it until the reassuring click resounded out of it and the heavy-duty lock slid into place. Grinning, Bogo reached up and opened the view portal, calling out to the fox locked inside.

"You won't go anywhere while I'm gone," he mocked, "will you?"

The view portal snapped shut again, and the fox was, again, alone. "I might," he spat, "if you don't get back soon, Plod."


	64. The Pride Before the Fall

"Alright everybody, settle down - _I said settle down!"  
_  
Stood before the amassed officers of the ZPD, Bogo chuckled as the officers made for their seats, still calling out excitedly to one another - a few paper airplanes even being thrown between them.

" ** _Settle down,_** I say," he yelled, beating his fist down upon his desk, hiding his smile behind a furious glower and stopping the noise and kerfuffling instantly. "Let's get through this debriefing quickly and efficiently, and we can move on to other, more enjoyable matters."

The officers before him settled down in their seats - Judy Hopps shuffling herself slightly closer to Nick. They glanced to one another with a smile, but quickly turned their attention back to their Chief as he continued to talk, reading from his notes:

"Now, let's not get too bogged down with the details and findings of the investigation - we'll leave that for later. For now, let's just say it was a great success. All known criminals have been taken into custody - including the formammal and their boss - and we've found a good deal of paperwork which Clawhauser is currently examining. With a little luck, it'll tell us the location of some of the other Hives.

"The crate of drugs and weapons, first discovered by Officer Hopps, has been fully retrieved. Said drugs and munitions are already on their way to be destroyed. The only things we have to worry from tonight are a couple of injuries. One of the workers of Erking had an 'accident' and ended up in a pretty bad way - but so long as he doesn't sue us, who cares? - and Officer Wolfard sustained marginal injuries from a bullet wound.

"So, it's official," he added, looking up from his notes and leaning on his desk, "Wolfard is now one of the 'old crowd', and I hope you all remember to welcome him with top-level goading the next time we reconvene."

The senior officers chuckling in the back of the room, Bogo returned to his notes. "On a more minor point," he continued, "it has been reported by a preliminary sweep of our forensics team that-"

The door swung slowly open. Every officer turned to look. A large mammal stood in the doorway, his gaze unmoving as it swept across them.

Setting his notes carefully down, Chief Bogo cleared his throat and stepped forwards. He came to a stop in line with the newcomer, stood before all of his officers. He nodded towards the figure in the door. "McHorn," he greeted.

"Chief," the rhino said in return, the doors swinging shut behind him.

The silence lingered. Hopps and Wilde returned their gazes to the front of the room, staring blankly at the wall - not daring to look at either McHorn or Bogo.

At length, Bogo broke the silence. "I hear you have a grievance against two of my offices."

"Yes sir."

"Care to discuss it in my office?"

"Yes, sir."

"Very well. Head there now; I'll be there shortl-"

"Permission to take the floor, sir."

Bogo said nothing but watched McHorn carefully for a long moment. He glanced down to Hopps and Wilde - still staring blankly into the wall - and then turned back up to the rhino. He nodded, and stepped aside.

McHorn marched slowly between the rows of silent desks, stopping when he reached the front of the room where Bogo had been standing. He turned and faced the front - all the while, Bogo was watching him, carefully.

The tight expression of the rhino turned downwards towards the fox and the rabbit who were trying to avoid his gaze, and cleared his throat, authoritatively, towards them. "Officer Hopps, Officer Wilde: your attention, please."

The two turned up towards him, their expressions unsure and there eyes flicking to Bogo and back as McHorn's expression bore down upon them. He stepped closer, positioning himself directly before Nick and Judy's desk, and spoke.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking since you kicked me out of the briefing, Officer Hopps," he said, sternly, "and I have come to the conclusion I may have been out of order in my behavior. My intention in raising my concern was only to safeguard our fellow officers and the security of Zootopia - by ensuring only those with the required training and experience are put in charge of conducting it's operations - though, I fear, my outburst may have came off sounding more speciesist and prejudicial than I had intended.

"You are still only Junior officers," he continued. "You _do_ posses an almost impeccable record and have already saved the city by foiling the Bellwether Incident. However, command is a different matter entirely, and it was simply my opinion that, despite a few lucky brakes and (what I am fully prepared to admit was) some top-level detective work early on in your career, that does not change the fact you have had **_no_** leadership or organizational training whatsoever." Adjusting his sleeve collar, McHorn cleared his throat, and took a long breath.

"My opinion in this matter still stands... though, I admit, an apology is in order for my conduct. Officer Hopps; Officer Wilde..." standing bold upright, eyes ahead, the rhino raised a hoof in a perfect salute... "I offer you my most sincere apologies for my aforementioned conduct and any possible insubordination thereupon. I do not expect to be instantly forgiven - I only hope you can at least see my point of view."

McHorn stood unmoving and silent - a statue, frozen in a salute. Judy's gaze flicked to Bogo, hoping he would nod or shake his head - offer any kind of signal as to what she should do. No such luck. Bogo was leaving her fully to her own decision; her own judgment. This was a test - she knew. She fought for the right answer, but... did Bogo want to see leniency and her trust for her fellow officers? Or did he want to see if she knew had it in her to apply discipline when the moment required it?

The rabbit shook her head to clear her thoughts - she was being an idiot: she couldn't act differently simply because she thought Bogo wanted her to. She had to act how she would if she _was_ in command. She had to be herself.

"Officer McHorn," Judy said, her voice only slightly strained, "I thank you for the eloquence of your apology and the, erm... bluntness, with which you stated your opinion. On reflection, I also feel I could have acted differently to prevent your - I mean, you know what happened, so ~"

Pulling herself taller in her chair, Judy reaffirmed herself. "Your behavior leaves a lot to be desired - a senior officer such as yourself should, in my opinion, have been far more professional in voicing concerns than you were - but... I am grateful, also, that you have stepped forward and apologized like this. Though I feel that... Bogo willing... some kind of action may need to be taken - just to make sure we can trust each other and work together safely from now on - I would be happy to accept your apology."

McHorn's salute relaxed, and he sighed a breath as his gaze lowered to the rabbit stood on a chair before him. "Thank you, Officer Hopps, I appreciate it."

At the back of the room, a white polar bare started to clap her paws. Snarlov's clapping caught on quickly, and soon every officer was applauding the outcome - a more-or-less affable outcome for everyone from what could have been a very nasty and problematic confrontation.

Bogo stepped closer to McHorn, his speech muted to the others by their clapping and called-out well-wishing. "McHorn," he said, "forget about my office for now. You know where the drinks are?"

"Well, yes sir."

"Good, go bring them in."

McHorn turned and made to leave the room - glancing to Nick and Judy's revealed expressions and nodding to them with a small, though not unmissed, nod of respect. The two smaller mammals smiled back at him, turning back to one another as he stepped past them and exited through the way he had come.

"Alright, everyone," Bogo called out over the general chatter which had followed McHorn's appearance, "just one more thing before we can move on: after the celebration I will be continuing with my interrogation of the fennec fox, Frank, who was in charge at Erkin."

"You're performing the interrogation personally?" Rhinowitz chuckled, "I'd hate to see how that fox looks when you're through with him."

"Hey," Bogo replied, his voice sarcastically smooth, "I'm just an old softy really. I don't shout or get angry - I just offer comforting words and Angil cake until they decide to tell me what they know."

"Aw, come of it," the rhino called back, "you're the toughest damn interrogator here. I've never met anyone who could stand up against you for more than half an hour."

Bogo chuckled, darkly, and turned back to his notes. "Finally," he continued, "I will need to have a brief word with Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde; not at the same time."

Beside her, Judy heard Nick's intake of breath at prospect - or perhaps just the idea he was going to have to free Finnic either before or while Bogo was interrogating him. Either way, reaching between them, Hopps pushed her paw into Nick's hand and squeezed it, reassuringly.

"I think that concludes the debriefing," Bogo said, giving his notes one final glance-over. So, without any unnecessary delay..." the doors at the back of the room swung open and McHorn paced in, holding a crates of beer under both arms. "...let the carousing begin."

The resultant cheer filled the room as the crates of alcohol were dropped down upon the back table and pulled open by the large rhino. The officers stood and made their way towards the back, chatting and joking with one another with the knowledge of this being a reward for a good job well done.

At the front desk, Judy turned to Nick with a surprised expression. Nick shrugged back. "Guess this is just how things go after a raid," he said, over the noise.

"I'm not sure it's a good idea if we have any," Hopps said. "We should keep our heads clear, considering the ' _job_ ' you're gonna-"

Nick shushed her to be silent, spotting Bogo pinning a wary eye towards them. The fox forced himself not to show any outward signs of unease or guilt, and managed to force his signature smile as the tall buffalo came close towards them.

Bogo kept his gaze firmly upon Nick as he stepped closer, but then turned to Judy as he spoke. "Hopps, a word."

Judy took a breath, uneasily. "At once, sir," she said.

The Chief nodded his head towards the door at the front of the room. "My ready room," he said, pacing towards it, " _now_."

"Sir, is Nick - can Wilde come with me?"

" _No._ " The door to Bogo's ready room shut, the Chief of Police on the other side.

Judy glanced over to Nick with a disappointed expression, but her ears pricked up as an idea suddenly came. "I... I could distract Bogo," she said, her voice hushed. "You cloud slip out, and-"

"There's no time for that, Carrots," he whispered. "Besides, _everyone's_ gonna notice I've left. Go on - I'd say you have about five seconds to get in there before Bogo comes back to drag you in."

"Alright, Nick, I'll - I'll see you-"

" _Hopps! Now!"_

"Coming, sir," Judy blurted to the buffalo in the door, jumping down from her chair and hurrying towards him.

...

The inside of Bogo's ready room was darker than it was in the bull pen, and the sound of merrymaking was muted by the wall between them. The softness and quietness was soothing to the Chief of Police, who lent back against the coolness of the wall as he waited for Hopps to appear.

He sighed, distantly - it had been a very long day, and Bogo was more than exhausted. He hardly had the strength to shout, and yet he had done so anyway.

"Any other mammal my age would be at home in bed by this time," he muttered to himself, bitterly, "but no, not me. I have to stay up another hour until the officers bugger off back home, and then probably another hour after that to talk to that Frank fellow, then I'll have to talk through with Nick about Jack and that'll probably take all night; then I'll be back here again Friday morning and - oh, _God,_ I need a holiday."

Raising a hand, Bogo buried his face into it, holding his eyes tight as through trying to catch a few seconds of sleep in this upright, standing position.

The door began swinging open, and the Chief hurriedly returned to a natural stance as he turned towards the face of Judy Hopps, who was peeking timidly in through the door frame.

"Sir, I'm erm... can I come in?"

Bogo chuckled, sitting down behind a desk and gesturing for Hopps to sit across from him. "There's no need to worry, Hopps, this shouldn't take long."

Nodding, Judy shut the door behind her and came into the room, sitting down where Bogo was pointing.

"Officer Hopps," he began, purposefully, "despite all the action and developments during and following the raid on Erkin Electrics, I haven't forgotten about the fatality in your apartment. I am aware this will have caused some emotional distress; likewise, it has not slipped my mind that you will be requiring a safe location to inhabit while you search for a new abode."

"Oh, I erm - I have a feeling Wilde just may be able to offer me a bed for a few-"

"Therefore, I have been in touch with the pertinent people, and I have made available to you a safehouse in a secure location in the Southwest side of Precinct One."

"Oh, sir, that really was kind of you but it won't be... wait," she said, her speech drifting to a stop as she took in the Chief's words, "where,

Bogo smirked, warmly. "That's right, Hopps," he said, smoothly, "the ' _posh_ ' part of the city."

Judy squinted. "The ZPD has a safehouse in the 'posh' part of Precinct One?"

Bogo shrugged. "A safehosue needs to be in a secure location, Hopps; and it just so happens that the most 'secure' parts of the city tend to be those in the more upper-class areas."

Visions of pleasure flashed into Judy's mind. Visions of her and Nick spending the weekend together, it what was basically a five-star, self-catering hotel. Nick's apartment was nice - wonderful, compared with Hopps' own one-room apartment - but _gosh_ , the houses over in that side of the city were just something else entirely.

Tonight, she reminded herself, they had planned to share a bed together and take things all the way 'phsyically'... _so how much more special will it be_ , she wondered, _to do it with Nick in a luxurious bedroom, with an exquisite view of the setting sun, in a wonderfully gigantic bed with a feather mattress._

Judy tried (and failed) to keep the excitement out of her voice as she said: " _Thank you_ , sir, _thank you_ so much, I'll take you up on your offer, it sounds _great_." _  
_  
"Good, I'll have Clawhauser give you the keys and address on your way out. Now, get back in there and join in the festivities. Have a drink, that's an order - you don't have to be the model officer all the time, you know."

"Well thanks, sir, but I - I really have to get going, actually. I, erm... I just have to go. I'm tired and - and Nick and I have a day out planned for tomorrow."

"Arh, yes. The two of you have the weekend off, do you not?"

"Yes sir, we do - I mean, unless you need Nick to make up for that unpaid overtime he owes you - you know, for letting the two of us take half of Monday off?"

The Chief's brow furrowed for a moment before realization dawned. "Oh, _that_. I'd forgotten about that overtime." Bogo thought for a moment, gazing off into nothing, and then sighed. "Tell Wilde he can forget about making up those hours. He's done enough over the past few days to make up for all that."

"Wow. Really, sir? Thanks."

Pulling a sheet over, Bogo started scribbling notes on a piece of paper. "He's a slacker, Hopps, but when the moment comes I need everyone working at their best - the moment when it really matters - Wilde pulls harder and longer than almost anyone else on the force."

"Well... if you're planning to let Nick's overtime slide, then... what _actually_ do you want to speak with him for?"

"That will be all, Hopps," he said, not turning from his papers.

Judy's prior expression of unease returning slightly, she stood, saluted Bogo smartly, climbed down from her chair and made her way from the room.

"Of course," Bogo said, the instant Judy's paw touched upon the doorhandle, "one last thing I need to talk to you and Wilde for is about this 'promotion' I promised you." Judy turning back with a look of near wounder, Bogo glanced up with a slight smirk. "But as you say, it's late, and you need your rest. We'll talk about that more on Monday."

Saint Bearnard's Hospital was made up of, like every other clinic in the modern world: corridor after corridor of wide, white corridors, with tall doors, posters with medical advice on the walls and waterless-hand-sanitizers on the walls; waiting rooms stocked with magazines, news papers and childrens' toys to help distract the occupants of this room that either they or their loved ones were in need of medical attention; and large, well let operating stations with imposing beds and overhanging, adjustable lights and rows of shining, stainless steel operating tools.

A van pulled into the Hospital car park. A group of mammals with a stretcher stood, waiting, as the EMT van pulled up beside them and stopped. The back lowered into a ramp to the ground, and the paramedics rushed inside - emerging a moment later with the motionless and bloody form of the badger carried between them.

All was quiet as they rushed off towards the main building; then, emerging from the van, a white-coated hare stepped outside, pulling her collar up against the chill wind as she watched the retreating paramedics.

Flo turned back towards the van. "This way, please, Mister Wolfard."

A second later, the gray and white-patched wolf stepped out of the back of the van, watching as the paramedics and stretcher disappeared inside. He had shoehorned himself out of his raid armor, and now wore only the trousers and shirt he had been wearing beneath it, and a warm fleece he had picked up before they left.

The wolf paced up beside the hare. "This way's the Accident and Emergency entrance," she said. "We'll have to walk around to the main entrance. Come on."

Without glancing back, Flo paced away across the tarmac road - parallel to the side of the hospital - folding her collar and small lapels tighter over her exposed neck. Her lab coat, though long, wasn't designed for warmth.

Wolfard watched the hare as she paced before him. Another shiver of cold ran through her, made visible by the twitching of a number of muscles through her body - the inside of the van had been well heated, but there was a definite chill in the air outside.

Looking down at himself and thinking for half a moment, Wolfard reached for the zip of his thick fleece.

Nurse Flo walked silently ahead of the wolf. She heard him unzipping his fleece, of course, but was too busy thinking over all the patience she would have to check up on before calling it a night to give it much thought - until, that is, a sudden additional weight appeared on her shoulders, and the cold breeze which had been cutting straight through her stopped.

The hare froze, looking down at the oversized fleece draped over her... and the pare of large, heavy paws resting on her shoulders. "What're you doing?"

"I'm, erh... giving you my jacket?"

"You're touching me."

Heat building around his face, the wolf hurriedly pulled his paws back.

Flo started walking once again, her pace slower; allowing Wolfard to walk almost beside her rather than three paces behind.

"I... I can take it back if you're uncomfortable with me, erh ~"

She half-turned to him, her expression neutral. "Well have you fleas?"

"Eh- _no!_ No, of course not."

"Very well then," she said, trying not to sound too ungrateful - or too grateful - at the same time, "trusting your personal hygiene is not _overly_ unclean, and taking into account the difference in the thicknesses of fur, than I suppose logic dictates I should be grateful for this act."

"Well, gee," the wolf said, befuddled, rubbing his forehead with a paw, "no need to go all mushy on me, it's nice just to be, erm... thanked?"

" 'Thanks' would be an accurate synonym, yes."

"Well then, you're welc-"

Flo grimaced. "Is this a dog bisect in your pocket?"

"Erh, I think so, yes."

"These things are so bad for you! Do you have any idea how much sugar they pump into these? Plus, they can get caught up in the teeth, work their way into the gum and cause all sorts of long term problems there."

The wolf started to laugh but that quickly faded away. "You... you're not joking, are you?"

She stopped and turned. "I am a medical professional, Mister Wolfard; I do not joke about health."

The tall hare looked sternly into the wolf's eyes for a moment before turning, and making her way towards the hospital entrance. "Come along, Wolfard," she said, placing a paw on his arm; encouraging him to walk beside her.

Flo kept her paw on Wolfard's arm: 'because it was so cold out here and I need to get him inside quickly so we can both warm up' _..._ is the excuse she made to herself for doing it.

 _That's strange,_ Wolfard thought, licking his lips, his mind apparently not quite working for some reason... _I feel hotter now I've taken my fleece off than I did when I had it on(!)_

* * *

 **A couple of important notes:**

 _Firstly,_ I've started another story. It's not going to be like those 1960s Avengers-teemed ones (they were just something to fill some time), this is going to be another full-blown and original plot in a similar style to Paw in Paw. I probably won't be as long - and Paw will still be my first priority, so it's unlikely to get the more-or-less weakly upload this story has.

I know some people here only tend to read stories with a romantic element in them. To these people, I wish to mention that, while I have not put the genre down as 'Crime-Romance' as this is, there is still a strong romantic element between the main characters - though this dose not play as strong of a part of the plot, as it does in. The story is called 'From the Ashes'.

 _Secondly,_ if you've been in touch, I can't answer you this week as the internet connection on my laptop isn't functioning - I'm only able to post this story because I've borrowed my dad's - so we'll have to waite until next week when, hopefully, my internet will be restored.

 _Many thanks,  
_ _ **Mister Smail.**_


	65. The Fall Before the Storm

Hospitals are strange places. The air, so clinical and crisp; the rooms, so large and tidy, and yet so packed tools and instruments so purpose-designed and obscure, and each with there own special place where they belonged.

The air smelt of disinfectant and every hallway was filled with general chatter and the continuous, repetitive beep of dozens of different medical instruments. The walls were painted white and lit by white lights attached to the white panel ceiling which shone down upon the white-coated professionals, wheeling beds with white sheets about, or escorting patience with blue-and-white-stripped hospital gowns around the white corridors.

The glass doors of the main reception opened automatically and two mammals stepped in from the blackness outside. The first, Nurse Flo, still wearing the oversized fleece, continued directly towards the main reception, while the second, Officer Wolfard, slowed to a stop to gaze around at the sterilized white and shining, stainless steel that surrounded him.

"Evening Kathy," she said as one worker to another, slipping off Wolfard's jacket and handing it over the desk.

"Hey, my-"

"You'll be more than warm enough inside. This way, Mister Wolfard."

"Flo, I-"

"We have a bed for you in Ward A one, one, th-"

"But, my wallet was in that!"

"No it isn't," she said, wearily, taking a leather object from her pocket and holding it aloft. "It's right here."

"What? You took it from my pocket!?"

"You were just complaining you didn't have it. Now you're complaining that you do?"

"Well, erh, I-" Wolfard caught the wallet as it was thrown towards him, catching it clumsily in both hands as Flo continued to pace before him.

"Left here," she said, pushing open a large pare of doors. "As part of medical procedure, you'll have to spend the night. Try not to let it get to you - just see it as a 'government-sponsored mini-break' ."

"Okay," he said, as they entered another corridor.

"You will also be required to change into a hospital-issue medical gown. The Saint Bernard hospital," she added, talking as though reading from a script, "and all associated parties would like to remind Subject-Name-Here that these gowns _are_ brand new, that they have _never_ been 'recycled' from a deceased former patent, and that you are an excellent Person-being-treated-for-medical-problem."

" _Right_..."

"And to save you asking later: _yes_ , I will avert my eyes when you remove your undergarments, but don't expect me to waist time leaving the room, et cetera. Nurses have a million and one things that needed doing half an hour ago; it's no different in my case."

"Guess you must get pretty snowed under as a nurse."

"You don't know the half of it. There's far too much work for us to handle, but it's cheaper for the government to let us metaphorically work our guts out rather than lay on more staff. In here."

Flo pushed open a door to a small, single-bed holding-room, and stepped inside.

...

In the ZPD, across town, Judy Hopps paced up beside Nick Wilde in the noise and celebratory chatter of the bull pen, and pulled him over to one side.

"Nick," she said, softly, "I'd better be going. Are you going to be okay? With _Fin_ , I mean."

The fox smirked, weakly. "Well... we'll find that out once I've tried to pull it off. By the way, Carrots, if anything does go wrong: we never spoke about this. You've never met Fin, never heard of him, and I did nothing to mention letting him out."

The two glanced to their side as as Bogo exited the ready room beside them, waiting until there was distance enough between them and anyone else in there so that their discussion would not be heard over the noise of general chatter.

"You stay safe tonight, Carrots," Nick said, turning back to her. "We've made it through the raid - so our lives aren't directly threatened anymore at least - but Jack can still get a little _grumpy_ if he doesn't get his own way."

Judy nodded, checking about her to make sure no one was watching and fishing a paw into her pocket. "I snatched this from my dart gun."

"A tranq round?"

"A strong enough dose to take down Bogo."

"Nice."

"Well, you said to take the whole gun - I think he'd notice that - but, if I have to, I can always give him a quick prick with this. Given his martial arts training, I thought I'd better get a strong one, so even if I can only graze him with it, he'll still be knocked out."

Nick nodded, a smile growing. "Good girl."

Hopps smiled back, trying to keep her expression cheerful. " _Thanks_."

The fox's smile started to fade to sadness, and his gaze fell to his feet as his heart started to weight heavy in his chest. "Well," he said, slowly, "this is it, I guess."

"Yep... this is it. For _now_ , at least. There'll always be later, right, Nick?"

Wilde's gaze rose to meet hers. His expression twitched with the intention of speech, but nothing came. He didn't want to lie to her, and say it would all be fine; but he didn't want to tell the truth either, and say he was at more risk now than he was during the raid - at least then he had the law on his side, now he just had himself.

Nick's lip sealed. Emotion taking over, he dropped down onto one knee and put his arms about the rabbit's small, shivering frame. Judy reacted instantly, slipping her arms around the fox's soft, warm neck, even as the officers around them turned with a startled glare or a wolf whistle or a lairy cheer.

"Whatever happens, Judy," Nick whispered, both he and Judy too enwrapped in the moment to care or notice the reactions of the mammals around them, "I will do everything in my power to do what's best for you. Now come on," he said, pulling himself away, "gimme a smile, that beautiful smile."

Controlling her uneasy sadness, Judy managed a true smile.

"I'll see ya later, Carrots," Nick said, easily, as he stood.

"See you later, Nick. And good luck."

Nick watched Judy with a fond smile as she turned and paced fro the room. But, as the sweet-smelling bunny walked away, the fox pushed her from his mind. He ignored the love he felt for her, forgot all worries of loosing her or disappointing her, and uncluttered mind from the knowledge that _this **was**_ the first time the two of them had been separated since Monday.

He ignored his hopes, his fears, and focused, solely, on the task at hand.

Bogo glanced over his shoulder as the door swung shut with Judy on the other side, stepping up behind McHorn and tapping him, authoritatively, on the shoulder.

McHorn turned from the conversation he was having and met Bogo's steely eyes.

"A word in my office," the Chief said, "upstairs."

...

Stood alone in a crowded room, Nick watched carefully as the door swung open a second time and as McHorn and Bogo stepped out. His gaze wandered carefully about the room, taking note of the activates and movements of all the mammals about him.

No one was paying him any attention - but he knew if he just kept standing there like a tailor's dummy, someone was going to notice soon. He hadn't had much time to plan his course of action for getting from here to Finnic, and he wasn't sure which option was entirely best.

He knew getting a beer and mingling with the others was the best idea for blending in, but it wouldn't exactly help him get out. He could just walk out without saying a word - and perhaps no one would take notice enough to remember it later - but then that risked looking even more suspicious if they did notice. He glanced to a small, red box on the wall beside him. _Guess I could just ring the fire alarm,_ he thought, sourly.

Nick paced up to Bogo's unoccupied desk - both looking for some inspiration and just trying to do _something_ before someone asked him what he was doing and forced the issue. He glanced over the paperwork on the desk.

He could have said he was taking up a piece of paperwork to the Chief, but then if he was questioned on it later (and someone _would_ point out that he was the only mammal missing at the time Fin escaped) it wouldn't take long for people to realize he never took any paperwork to Bogo, and the Chief never even asked for any paperwork anyway.

 _The paperwork is the way to go, though_ , he thought _. I need something that can't be proved or disproved; something I'm doing just off my own back rather than with orders... something like-_

"Hey, _Wilde_ ," Higgins called over, "you okay over there? You look like you've lost something."

Nick turned quickly and slipped into a casual smile. "No problems over here," he said, easily. "I was just looking at Bogo's paperwork."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, Hopps was complaining before she left about how late she was gonna have to be up catching up on overdue paperwork. I thought I might surprise her by just doing it for her."

Delgerto snickered. "What's this, Office Wilde filling out paperwork because he _wants_ to? I don't believe that for a second."

Nick kept his expression carefully frozen.

"I think there's _another_ reason; an **_ulterior_** motive for doing what you're doing."

Nick opened his mouth to respond - if they were even the slightest bit suspicious, he wouldn't have a chance later on.

" _Yeah,_ " Fangmeyer said, cottoning on, "I think there's _another_ reason you want her 'unoccupied' this evening."

Under any other circumstance... Nick would've denied the statement and used any other excuse apart from that one, but in this situation, it was perfect. Not only had they just been seen to be hugging, but also - and more importantly - it brought people's attention away from the fact he was doing paperwork at all. It made the ' _evening between them_ ' the talking point and made the paperwork into a means rather than an end - and ends were always remembered more clearly in people's minds than the means used to get there. Besides, if he played it right, the'd just assume he was joking anyway.

He shrugged easily, allowing a playful smirk to dance across his face. "Well, what can I say? She fell for me, as _any_ woman must. Now, if you'll excise me," he said, adjusting his tie dapperly as he made out of the room, "I have a very attractive female's evening to 'unoccupy'."

The sound of chuckling and clinking beer bottles ringing out thought the closing door behind him, the fox stepped out into the quiet dark of the corridor, and began pacing his way towards the interrogation rooms.

A grimace formed, unhappy with himself for what he had just done. He'd never objectified a woman like that before, and it sent a shiver of displeasure right through him. In all honesty, he couldn't see how other mammals did it.

...

The sheets of the bed was white - Wolfard starting to think that 'white' was the only color the decorator they'd hired knew how to use (the walls and floor also being of that same, white color) - and was one of those electrical beds which could be raised and lowered.

There was a wooden desk with a white top, a white chest of draws and a steel end table on wheals near the bed with a number of medical tools upon it. There were also a number of larger pieces of medical equipment about the room, but Wolfard didn't know what they were.

He whistled softly, stepping into the room and looking about at the strange pieces of equipment, stepping up to the table and picking up a random object.

"Heck, I bet you need a university degree just to know what most of this stuff's even _called_ ," he said, holding a something with some buttons and a kind of nobbley bit on the side.

"That's a polemic distortion pulmonary pacification harmonizer. Please don't break it." Reaching up, Flo stole it away. Her paw touched his for a moment as she took it. It lingered a moment longer than it had to. Wolfard wondered what made him observe this fact - and why it made his paws shake so.

Flo took the object and set it down where it had been. Her movements slowed and she paused, her head cocking in the direction of Wolfard's paws. After a second's thought, she turned back towards him and slipped her paw into his.

An inexplicable shiver ran down the wolf's spine. The hare held the wolf's paw. She examined it minutely, then turned it over in her hand, pressing her fingers, with medical delicacy, into the sensitive pads of his paws.

The shaking of Wolfard's paws worsened, and his breaths became deeper and more drawn out.

Flo's brow eventually furrowed. "Strange," she said, "the effects of the adrenaline should have worn off long ago. Never mind," she added lightly, dropping the wolf's paw, "it's not serious. Mister Wolfard, I need you to change into your medical-"

The hare turned up to the wolf's face, and her expression froze, her eyes dotting across his face as she made a scan of his symptoms - shortness of breath, dilated pupils, elusive gaze: clearly he was suffering from Hypertension Disorder.

"Mister Wolfard," she said, a slight amount of urgency building in her voice, "please will you assume an upwards-facing horizontally prone-position on the sleep-deprivation recapitulation unit beside you?"

"...what?"

"Will you please get into bed."

"Urh, sure." Sitting down upon the mattress, the wolf swung his legs up, stretching out on the bed with the head of the bead at an elevated angle to the rest of it so he could sit up comfortably.

"Now," Flo said, taking a nightshirt and trousers from a draw, "put these on."

She dropped down the nightshirt and trousers before him, Wolfard looking carefully between her and them as she turned her back on him, her fluffy tail making delightf-

Wolfard tore his gaze away sharply and he reached for the clothes. His paws hadn't stopped shaking, and the thought he was now about to undress in the same room as the hare - the hare who'd only have to turn a little to see his unclad body - didn't help things.

His breaths becoming short and shallow, the wolf struggled to operate his shirt buttons - failing to undo the fiddley row of small disks due to the instant shaking of his paws.

Flo turned back to him. "What's taking you?"

"My, erh - _heh_ \- my paws are shaking too much. I can't work the buttons."

"Oh." She stepped suddenly towards him, something like a bubble of shock leaping up into Wolfard's throat as she reached out towards him. "Here, let me."

The wolf stuttered as he tried to reply, the hare's hands reaching towards him as he lay on his back upon the bed. He stifled a cough as her paws undid his top button - as he felt the softness of her fur fondling against the thicker fur around the front of his neck, sending a shiver down his back as her hands slipped lower to the next button and her paws brushed and pleasured and stimulated the fur of his upper chest.

Her paws moved lower down his chest, a particularly large shiver ran down the wolf's back - a shiver which shot down his spine to the very tip of his tale, making a number of muscles all across his body tense as the shiver shot back up to his head. His jaw tensed... and so did another muscle 'lower down' _._

The wolf's eyes widened with panic. _No. Oh, please no!_ He risked a glance down - down to the rapidly swelling sensation of heat and tension in his lower midsection - and he saw what he had feared he'd see. Wolfard bit down hard on his tongue. _Ooh... **fudge** nuggets **!**_

Flow moved to the next button. In vain, Wolfard hoped the hare wouldn't spot the newly-appeared lump, but, as her paws slipped down to the lowest of his shirt buttons, and as they came tantalizingly close o _that part_ of his body, her eyes happened to flick down towards it.

The moment of her paws slowed to a stop. Her expression froze. She stared at the lump, her mind and body frozen. You saw a lot of things as a nurse... but _normally_...~

The wolf licked his dry lips. "Flo, I... I'm, erh, I'm sorry-"

"It's okay," she said, trying to keep her voice natural-sounding as she retracted her paws, carefully. "I understand that males don't have direct control over their erectile inhibitor and that your, erm... your 'current state' is not truly a fault of your own."

Slowly backing from the wolf, but still quite openly looking, Nurse Flo stepped outside the door. "I'll let you, erm...~ I'll leave you to, erh ~"

The door shut. Wolfard stared out at it door for several long seconds. His gaze turned down to the ache between his legs and he growled, softly, crossing his legs over it as through trying to throttle it, bringing his paws up to his face and digging his claws into his eyes.

"Such an idiot," he growled to himself. "You stupid, fluffing idiot."

...

The corridors of the ZPD were unnaturally quiet at this time - almost every officer currently celebrating in the bull pen. There was at least one mammal still working at this time, though, and Nick Wilde could hear him just a little further up the corridor.

Keeping his footfall completely silent, the fox approached the ZPD reception area. The blinds had been lowered over the large pains of glass across the front of the building, and so the light of the outside streetlamps was held at bay - as was the risk of being spotted in his movements by outside eyes.

Nick silently approached the central desk, and Clawhauser snored again - a loud snore which he'd heard from across the other side of the corridor. The lights were still turned off, so Nick guessed the cheetah had walked over to lower the blinds, walked back, and had fallen asleep from the exhaustion before he'd managed to flick the lights on.

The darkness was no problem to the fox; the shadows accepted him like an old friend. He walked, softly, up to the edge of the overweight cheetah's large desk, and climbed up onto it, gingerly.

Nick knew Clawhauser well, but he didn't let that affect him. Right now, he was just an obstetrical - like a locked safe or an armed guard or a security camera - but not a friend. The fox made a note to feel bad about it. Now was not the time.

Reaching out in the darkness, the fox felt for the handle of the draw Clawhauser kept the keys in, carefully watching the cheetah's expression for any signs he was about to wake up - unsure of how heavily his sleep was.

Nick opened the draw and lifted the large ring of keys out. They jingled, lightly, as he fiddled with them, looking for the right key. The cheetah sighed in his sleep, and Nick froze in him motions. Clawhauser muttered something under his breath, and then went back to fingering through the small pieces of intricately-designed metal.

He found the key to the interrogation room and slipped it off, holding it between his teeth and reaching back, slowly, towards the draw he had taken the keys from. Clawhauser shuffled in his seat, the keys jingling again as the fox set them down and pulled the draw shut.

Slower than before - fully aware the cheetah's sleep had been disturbed and was now lighter than it had been - the fox started to reverse back the way he came, using his tale to dust the floor so he knew exactly how far his legs would have to stretch to meet with the ground, allowing him to get down lightly rather than just leap and hope for the best.

The fox felt the reassuring cold of the ground beneath the pads on the toes of one foot, and then...

" _ **Clawhauser!**_ "

" **Ah!** Yes, Chief?"

"Send up a copy of the Disciplinary Action paperwork against McHorn, will you?"

"Oh, yes Chief, right away."

"Good. After that, you take yourself off home."

"Yes, sir."

Taking a deep breath, Clawhauser took his finger off the intercom. He wiped his brow with his arm, and promptly fell back into his chair, breathless. "Ughhh," he groaned, clutching at his chest, "gotta - _huff_ \- cut down on the - _gasp_ \- doughnuts."

Nick chuckled dryly to himself as he heard the cheetah pant, silently jogging away down the corridor with the key to the interrogation room door in his paw.

Soon, his jog slowed, an iron door loomed. Glancing over his shoulder, Nick paced up toward the thick, metal door and moved to insert the key into the lock. He paused, and glanced over, at another door right beside them.

His brow furrowing, a small idea formed. It crossed his mind it probably wasn't the wisest of ideas, but it was insurance against later 'complications' at least.

Sidestepping, the fox pushed open the door of the room beside the interrogation room and moved inside, pulling the door closed behind him.

Walking in, Nick gazed out through the one-way-mirror. Finnic was sat, unhappily, on his oversized chair at an oversized desk, straining to lean his elbow on the table while he stared at the metal door, unable to see Wilde as he turned back into the room, towards the large piece of recording equipment which sat, motionless, in the darkness this room had to be kept in for the one-way-mirror system to work.

Pacing up to the device, Nick felt about for the disk drive and opened it, taking out the hard disk the recording was being burnt on and putting it on the side. Looking about briefly, the fox quickly found a collection of blank disks and inserted one of them into the disk drive, pushing it shut and flicking on the recorder.

The machine started to whurr quietly, and an orange light marked 'visual' started flashing on the side. A moment later, a second light, marked 'audio' started flashing beside it. Reaching out a final time, Nick Wilde flicked on the switch marked 'record to disk'.

He backed form the device swiftly - time was short, after all - and pulled open the door, checking up and down the corridor before slipping out once again, coming level with the large door once more and slipping the key into the lock and turning it, wincing at the resounding clank and the bolt sliding across.

He pulled it open, blinking back at the crack of bright light which came out to meet him, and looked towards the small, tan fox who sat, waiting, inside.

Finnic smirked, sickly. "Nick," he said, fondly, in a way that made Wilde want to puke, "it's about time you showed up..."


	66. In-'terror'-gation

I'm sorry it's been a while. The exams are over; all is well for another year. Now, with luck, normal update speed may resume. In other news, I heard on Monday that the Board of Examiners has introduced a new film to the prospectus of the Year Two Films Studies course. That film being Zootopia...! Which I think is just wonderful - such a shame I won't be there.

Kind regards, and my apologies for the delays,  
Mister Smail.

* * *

The room was dull, grey, cold; a simple box with a stark desk with a basic, black lamp suspended over it from the concrete ceiling. The light which shone from it was harsh, and reflected brightly from the one-way-mirror which one of the four walls consisted of.

Sat before the stark table, the russet fox gazed levelly at the small fox, who fidgeted uncomfortably in his own hard, metal chair.

"Get off your arse, Wilde," Finnic grunted, pulling himself to his feat, "let's get outta here."

Nick didn't move response - didn't bat an eyelid; didn't beat an ear. He had to keep calm... he had to maintain his 'officer' standing, and thus maintain his control.

Finnic turned with a squint to the russet police officer, his confusion growing. "Well get on with it, Nickey," he said, standing on his chair, "before d' Fuzz come."

"Sit down."

"Don't you try any of that on me, Nick," he shot, panic taking him, aware of what was going on, "don't you dare try none of that 'righteous cop' crap. I'm in this jus' as much as you are and if you want me t-"

The table lurched as Nick's fist beat down upon it, the red fox glaring down at his short companion. "I said... sit _down_."

He didn't know whether it was the mood of the the interrogation-room itself, the brass badge on his chest or simply the dangerous gleam in his expressive, emerald eyes but, for once, Finnic was taking notice of him... _real_ notice.

Finnic blinked, his expression frozen, and lowered himself back into his chair. Nick watched him steadily for a few moments more, and then lowered himself down likewise.

Nick looked down at his paws and searched for his strength. "My name... is Nicholas Wilde, and I... am an Officer of the Law. Your name, is Finnegan Viola Depesdo, and you are formally charged with the following offenses: mass solicitation of a criminal organization; possession of a class A substance;"

 _"-Nick, what're you-"_

"possession with intent to distribute;"

 _"-Nickey, I-"_

"conspiracy to commit offense; and of Drug Trafficking and Distribution, under the Drug Abuse Prevention and Control Act of 1970, for the possession, supplying, dealing, and production of class A substance on an industrial scale."

"Wilde," Finnic's voice was steady and calm, but the twitching of his ears and the clenching of his paws told Nick all he needed to know about how he was really feeling inside, "you can't do this to me. If I go to jail, you're coming with me - I'll tell Bogo everything I know about your past - so unless you want to be sent to Blackheath with me, you have no choice but to get me out."

Nick shook his head, his lip twisted in a grimace. "You will not sit there and dictate to me. You think you have an advantage over me? Sure, I admit it, you have. With all the time we spent working together after Scarlett died - with all the stuff you know about my past - _yeah_ , you could have me chucked off the force. I doubt you have any real proof, but you certainly could point them in the right direction to finding it all out for themselves. But the problem is, I _am_ guilty... being thrown in jail is nothing more than I deserve."

Nick sat forwards in his chair, his voice growing in strength. "You saw me and Hopps smooching when we arrested you the other day - I _know_ you did. You know how much Scar meant to me, and how very, _very_ rare it is for a fox to take another mate after something like that, so you know damn well just how much I care about Judy. And why shouldn't I? She's a wonderful person. She taught me a fox really could be honest; really could make the world a better place. And I am _not_ going to disappoint her - she deserves better that that - even if it means loosing her."

Nick sat back into the cold metal of his seat, his paws crossing over his chest as he breathed. "I am worthless crud without her; that's not me being blinkered, that's the truth. She means more to me than my life, and I am not gonna fuck her over - not gonna drag the trust she put in me through the _dirt_ \- without something I can give to make up for it."

Finnic stared at his russet ex-companion. He had seen them kissing when they arrested him two before, but the implications about Scarlet, his biology, the trust he must feel for her... "A woman," he muttered, grimly. "It's always a woman who comes between old friends."

Nick's lip twisted; Fin bit down on his.

"You know," the small fox said, probing his options, "that's very honest and noble of you and all, but if I opened up about your past an all... well, I doubt Hopps'll be happy to hear your're a mass-murdering Firm wo-"

Nick's fist hit the table once again. There was no force behind it this time, and his fist shook with something like nerves and something like fury, as his voice did when he spoke. "I have _never_... _killed_... anyone."

Wilde's gaze rose, his burning emeralds meeting Finnic's.

His eyes flicking across Nick's expression, the tan fox sat back, his head tilting to one side. "Either this is a very well-constructed bluff-"

" _Yeah,_ " Nick shot, "that's right: I got Hopps to agree to kiss me the other day on the off-chance you might wind up in a cell blackmailing me to let you out, so I could trick you into believing I've found someone I care for a heck of a lot more than staying out of prison."

Nick snorted, pushing himself to his feet. "Get real, Fin. You want to spill my story? I can get Bogo over here right now."

"You just do that!" Fin shouted, throwing his whole weight into the cry and climbing to stand on the table. "You just go _get_ that stinking Chief of Police and you tell him _exactly_ what you used to be."

Silence fell. The foxes starred at one another.

"So," Nick said, his voice slow... "you're calling my bluff?"

Grimacing, Fin nodded, his poker face firmly in place.

"Sure. Fine. Okay, whatever." Shrugging, he pulled his radio from his belt. "Chief Bogo? Erh, this is Officer Wilde. Would you please come down to the interror-"

"Nick, _**Stop!**_ _I... eyhhye~_ "

Cocking his head towards the frantically stuttering fox, a lazy smirk broke on the russet fox's face. "Re _laax_ , Fin. I flicked on the 'off' button right before I spoke."

Finnic's expression slackened.

Dropping his 'official police officer manner', Nick slid easily into the empty chair - aware he had already won, even if Fin still resisted for a while.

It was like that moment in chess where you've taken the enemy's Queen and their defenses are all ready to crumble. They can resist for a while yet, yes... but you know you've already won. It was only a matter of time before Fin broke.

Enjoying his little victory - even while Finnic was still trying to form a retort - Nick allowed his posture to become slack and lazy, raising his leg and resting his foot on the tabletop, examining his claws casually.

"So, erh - what..."

The red fox glanced up from his nails, watching the smaller mammal stood on the table before him.

"What exactly do you want? From me, ah mean."

Nick tried to hide his grin (but made sure not to try too hard) and gazed at his fingernails as he thought. A moment later, he pulled himself upright in his seat, his foot dropping back onto the floor.

"Information," he said, his voice still professional but not as cold as it had been before. "If you can tell me enough about what's going on with this drug gang, I can justify breaking you out to myself, and to Hopps. For instance: who put you up to this? Where d'ya your orders from?"

Finnic grimaced, staring down at the stark tabletop. "Guy called Jacques set me up to this. He ain't head honcho - ain't hardly anyone who knows that guys name, but that's kinda the point. I played myself big like I always do, but I'm really not in a high-authority position. I know hardly nothin' about the bigger picture."

"The bigger picture?"

"Come on, Wilde, you've got as much a sense of the city as I have. You can smell something's up - we _both_ can."

"We know that this was only one of a number of Hives hidden about the city, if that's what you mean."

"Narh, Nick. It's bigger than that. I dunno how big, but it's big alright."

"So what is the main plan? What is the end goal here?"

"Money, I guess... power too - not dat I have to tell you that, you know better than me the shortcomings of human nature - but as to what the big boss is after in all this... I really can't say."

"Can't say or don't want to?"

Fin grunted. "Look, Nickey, I know I played myself big like I always do, but I really was bottom of the chain back there. I was in charge of a couple'a guys, sure, but that don't mean jack to these guys."

Nick thought for a moment, leaning forwards smoothly on the table. "If you knew you were 'bottom of the chain', then you must have had some idea of the structure of it. How many links does the chain have? What's it pulling?"

"I don't know."

"Well who are the Kingpins? The main players?"

"I don't know!"

"But what're they planning? If you're saying it's bigger than we think, surely you must-"

"I don't _know,_ Nick! Okay? I don't know nothin' about how this all works, I wus just brought in by some guy called Jacques to get a hold of some old company he could take over and run it for him! What more's there to know?"

Nick's brow furrowed. "A _lot_. For a start, what do you mean he asked you to get a company to take over?"

"Oh, that. That was an ole trick of ours. You came with it, I think, actually; I think it's in that old Husselers Gernal of yours. I looked about at some of the public, financial statements over in Registry House and found some company that was going down the slide.-"

"Erkin?"

"Exactly. So later, I dressed myself up smart in a white coat, threw myself some fancy-looking papers together and a fake warrant, and went over to Erkin and asked to look at their equipment and the superstructure of the building. They didn't know I was a fake, so they let me in. About twenty minutes later, I goes up to the manager bloke and says 'you have a serious problem with your metal support beams, blah-de-blah, and fractures in _this_ and warping in _that_ and that it wus gonna take _x-_ amount of money to get it fixed or I'd have to register the building as 'condemned'.

"Sadly for them, the _x-_ amount of money it was gonna take just happened to be twice that they'd earned in the past six months - I'd checked their income just to make sure they couldn't afford it. 'Oh what a shame', I say, 'fortunately for you, my associates would be willing to take over this building for you ' _temporarily_ ' and get it all fixed up. All you have to do is sign this document here and push-off out the way'. I didn't word it like that exactly, but that's the drift."

Wilde took a slow breath. "That was an ingenious plan: foolproof, so long as Erkin didn't pull your bluff; free; and technically legal on the surface, barring the forged documents..."

"And 'cause the change in ownership was only 'temporary' supposedly, I got the _real_ manager of that place to agree with me that there was no need to 'officially legislate' the change by filling out the legal documents proper."

"Hence why it wasn't immediately flagged up on the system when we checked." Nick shook his head, slowly. "It really is a brilliant plan. I can tell it was one of mine."

"Yup," Fin said, dryly. "I'm not gonna pretend I could've thought up somethin' like that - you always were the schemer of the two of us. I always remembered we never had the chance to pull that one of 'cause we never had an actual 'team' to step in and take over the 'pretend' repair-work. But obviously, with Jacques' input, I had just that."

"Jacques. Who is Jacques, anyway?"

"The guy who set me up for this. A kangaroo from down South somewhere. He approached me about a week and a half ago now while I was out selling puff, ya know?"

"Yeah, I know."

"Anyways, he pulls out a wad of crack and asks if I'd sell it for him. I, suspicious of course, ask 'what's the catch?' 'No catch', he says, 'just give sixty percent of anything you earn back to me'."

Leaning back, the small fox rested his arms on the back of the chair. "Well, I sold the load he'd handed over, you know how quick ah can shift shiz like that, and he asked if I'd like to make a full-time income doin' that, so I says-"

"Woah, woah, _woah_... I thought you said it was Frank, _your brother_ , who first put you on to that place?"

Finnic stared at the red fox, the faint impression of confusion upon his expression. After a moment, something in the fox's memory clicked, and a thin, mean smile started to break across his face.

"Nickey," he said, in the arrogant, sly tones he had spoken with before, "you may have done a great job puttin' me on the spot an' squeezing me for info..." leaning forwards, the fox's voice dropped to a whisper... " _but I still hustled you."_ Finnic suddenly leaned back and started heaving with laughter. "I hustled you _good_ you double-dealing crook!"

Nick motioned to react to being called a crook, but his voice caught in his throat. Shaken, Wilde tried to collect his thoughts. "But your other brother-"

"There wus no 'other brother' you jerk!"

"But, Frank! The body we found?"

"He weren't nobody, Nick - just some hobo we picked up off the street!"

Nick sat back slowly, his eyes darting and his jaw clenched as he tried to fathom the implications. Finnic watched him with smug satisfaction, and he began chuckling, slowly.

"Whas the matter," Fin said, patronizingly, "little Nickey all confused?"

Wilde's elusive gaze flicked back. He held Finnic's smug grin, faintly, and his eye twitched as Finnic cackled.

"Lemme spell it out to ya. So, as I wus saying, after Jacques and I were properly introduced and he offered me work as a full-time-drugs-runner kinda thing, he told me ah could pick up my supplies of drugs - as much as I needed, at any time - from this warehouse full they had hidden in the city, _called..._ Ladders and Ladders and Co..

"The whole place was abandoned before; Jacques simply went in with his people quietly one night when all the workers had left and filled it up brimming with crate after crate of drugs. One night, I'm on my way over to Ladders to pick up another couple'a bags of crack - an' remember, I'm keeping twenty percent of everything I'm earning; that's a lotta doe when you put it all together - when something unexpected happens..."

Sitting forwards, Finnic continues, his eyes lighting up at the memory. "A group of thugs, about eight of them, with clubs and knives, heading towards Ladders. Well, you know me Nick," he added, shifting in his seat, roused by just the thought of a good scrap, "I can't resist getting me claws in the action, so when this gang of thugs made for the guards Jacques had posted looking after the place, I got stuck right in there in the thick of it."

Fin sat back, smugly. "The outcome was predictable, and after the last of them bolted and ran the three of us still standing phoned Jacques. He came over directly, and started fussing over what to do: they couldn't stay there now another gang knew where they were: they could come back with more, or worse still the police; and they couldn't just move the crates somewhere else 'cause the didn't have anywhere to put em! That's where I stepped in. 'Jacques,' I said, 'easy. I can get ya something sorted out - I've got a few connections; I can get you a new place easy.'

" 'That's great,' he says, 'but what about the evidence?' I has myself a think and then: 'Let's torch it; burn the place to the ground!' An' that's exactly what we did: Jacques brought out a load of trucks and filled them on up with his drugs and we went about burning the place to the ground. I realized, though, that that was gonna put you guys on the case and that you'd sure as heck smell my scent; so, I got a few of Jacques mates to go out to the street and find some random, homeless fennec. They dragged one in, knelt him down on the floor... and I shot 'im in the head."

Nick blinked, silent. He licked his lips, and then managed a stuttered response. "With... with the intention of saying it was your brother?"

"Yep. There was nothin' I could do about my scent, so I had to find some excuse for my scent bein' there - an' since cubs of the same litter always smell similar - I jus' thought that'd be the best excuse."

"So you... _you_ are the one who murdered him?"

"Shot him right through the back of the head."

"...with Scar's gun."

Fin's face flicked instantly towards Nick's, his expression suddenly anxious and fearful as he looked into the smoldering fury red fox's dead-set eyes. "Erh... what?"

"The bullet was found and identified. Without doubt, it belongs to one of the two Ruger SR MEs in existence, and it sure as hell ain't mine." Leaning forwards on the table, the red fox's hackles rose, his muscles bunched, as he leaned towards the small fox. "Scarlett's gun... _where is it?_ "

"Nick, I... I don't have it, Nick!"

Like a coiled viper striking, the red fox's arm shot across the table and gripped the smaller mammal by the scruff of his collar, drawing his face close to Nick's as he lent towards him over the table. His usually smooth and casual voice was really very different as he spoke next.

"I want Scarlett's gun, Fin; I've been wanting it for over five years! I don't know what fuckfaced bastard _stole_ it after Scar's murder all those years ago, but I am _not_ gonna miss this opportunity to get it back. It meant so much to her. I will ask you once more: where, is it?"

"Nick, I..." Fin's body was stiff, frozen up by fear as the almost feral fox lent over him, his expressive emerald slightly slitted as they bore down at him. "I... I don't know!"

With a yell Wilde tossed the small fox across the room with a strength he didn't normally posses. Finnic fell badly but managed to keep his balance, and managed to snatch Nick's paw as it made to grab for him again.

" _Nick_ ," he shouted, his voice rasped, "listen to me, I don't know!"

"You _**do**_ know," the red fox screamed, batting aside Finnic's paw and grabbing him by the shoulders, shoving him against the wall and lifting him into the air. "You murdered someone with it. You _murdered_ with _my_ Scarlett's gun."

"I don't have the gun," Finnic gasped between gasps of fear, "I just used it to shoot the hobo. It's Jacques, _he'_ s the one who has your gun. I just borrowed it, that's all!"

Nick considered this hotly, his mind spinning and his thoughts blurred. The only notion that was clear to him right now was getting Scarlett's gun back. He turned back to Fin with a start, holding him a little tighter against the wall - though starting to find his weight too much as the blinding fury started to leave him.

"Where do I find him, Fin, tell me?"

"I don't - how many times, Nick, I don't know!"

With a snarl the red fox dropped the fennec to the ground, pinning him against the wall with one arm while raising his fist with the other.

Then the metal door swung open, and Bogo marched in, holding his truncheon aloft...

...the police Chief and Wilde starred at one another, both frozen absolutely in place.


	67. Medical Procedure

Nick Wilde and Chief Bogo stared at one another, their expressions locked and their bodies frozen.

Bogo's raised truncheon slowly lowered. He glanced down to the fennec fox Wilde was pinning up against the wall, then up to the fist he had raised in preparation to strike him. "Mister Wilde," he said slowly, his voice calm in the way it only was when he was truly, _truly_ mad... "would you be so kind as to put this criminal down?"

Closing his gaping mouth, the red fox withdrew his arm from the smaller fox. Sensing they were distracted, Finnic bolted for the door. Spinning on his heals, the Chief of Police cracked the fennec alongside the knee, dropping him instantly to the floor.

"Arugh, _crap!_ My leg!"

...

The various instruments beeped and tapped out a monotonous, tuneless rhythm. Saint Bearnard's Hospital was anything but silent. Even in the one-bed rooms, the noise from the other wards of the nurses and doctors working, and from the beeps of respiratory machines and the likes; the talking of the other patience; their coughing and complaining... the hospital was anything but silent.

Wolfard lay beneath the white sheets sheets of his bed dressed, now fully, in the blue medical pajamas Flo had given him. He lay there, in a pit of shame, breathing the sterilized air which burnt his nose, and thinking over, ceaselessly, what had happened.

He'd had plenty of time to 'calm down' since Flo had left, and now he just lay there, occasionally growling outwardly as he thought on his own incompetence.

 _Look what you've done now, you stupid jerk. Had to go getting all 'excited' on her, didn't you; now she'll never... want to...~_

The wolf gazed expressionlessly at the end of the bed. That ridiculousness, rebellious thought was creeping back in again - that little part of him that kept on at him, telling him, despite what had happened (because of it, even) he should just be damned with it, pluck up the courage, and ask Flo on a ~

 _This is pointless. She's a_ hare _for fluff's sake! She'd never want to... with a wolf, and anyway she's a prey like..._ his brain slowed to a halt as the thought entered his head... _like Hopps is. And Wilde? They're obviously just a fluke; a one-off thing. There's no chance of any other prey mammal wanting to d-... to dai-... a predictor, there's no... no chance~_

"Curses," he muttered, pulling the thin sheets up over his head out of shame rather than cold. "Curses and wretchedness, what'd you have to go get a damn hard on for? Over-excitable, damn, little-"

"You know if you're suffering from Persistent Genital Arousal Disorder," came a voice from the door, "I can get you some anesthetizing agent, or book you in for some corrective nerve tissue surgery if you want."

"Erh... yeah. Flo, I'm sorry I-"

"Or I could just cut the whole system of if you'd prefer."

Wolf laughed at the joke, but then his smile vanished as the hare stood from leaning in the doorway and made towards the table of tongs, scalpels and bone saws.

"Hang on, I'll get the equipment. There's a _bit_ of a anesthetic shortage though, so if it hurts, just grip your knees tighter." Turning towards him with a scalpel, her face as impassive as it ever could be, the nurse made towards him.

"Erm, Flo?" he said, his voice rising in pitch, his body pulling inwards as he sheltered behind the sheet. "Flo _Flo_ _ **Flo**_ **Flo!** "

At last - with her face now hanging inches from his - the slightest of smiles grew on Nurse Flo's face. "On second thorough... no."

Wolfard stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. "No?" he stuttered.

" _No,_ " she said, loosely, "I think it would be a waste of the government's money to have removed from you something which is hardly even there..."

Wolfard's expression fell. With an air of supreme smugness, Flo turned around sharply and returned the scalpel to its former location. Recovering enough to recognize the insult to his malehood, he sat up, his desire to 'impress' the hare overpowering his usual 'sociological inhibitors'.

" _Hey_ , I'm bigger than any rabbit - you can't deny that much!"

"I'm a hare, not a rabbit," Flo said, flatly, before adding in tones musical: "and you'd be surprised: hares may be smaller than wolves on average, but they pack a pretty big load for their size." She half-turned back to the wolf, her expression... playful? "It takes a lot to sexually satisfy a female hare, after all."

Wolfard's tongue caught in his throat, his head spinning slightly, a familiar 'throbbing' sensation growing in his mid-section. _Is..._ he wondered, in shock and present surprise... _is Flo talking_ ' _dirty_ ' _to me?_

"Anyway, that was one of the sub-headings of study in my University dissertation for my PhD: ''Reproductive Pathology - the Effects of Hormones on Ovulation and the menstrual cycle.''.

"Are... are you serious?"

Flo adjusted her glasses, sighing. "Mister Wolfard, I am always serious when it comes to medical matters."

"So... what _are_ the effects?"

"Okay, it's fairly simple really - it only gets really complicated when you look at it in detail, and compare the systems of different species with one another, taking into account their birth rates, gestation period and the relative size of their reproductive organs compared with he size of the species itself - but basically, at the start of the female's monthly cycle, the body starts producing follicle stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. The former triggers the maturation of an egg in the ovary in preparation for fertilization, and causes the release of a further hormone, oestrogen. This oestrogen itself then releases another hormone which stops the production of FSH, and tells the body to produce more luteinizing hormone."

"Interesting," Wolfard said, "so does-"

"The higher build up of LH then causes the mature egg to be later released from the ovary into the uterus, which is where the male's sperm goes during sexual intercourse. If nothing comes of this, then the Progesterone levels - which is the hormone which builds and maintains the lining of the uterus for the reception of the egg - decline and the uterus lining breaks down. It is then flushed form the body alongside the unfertilized egg, and this is what causes the bleeding at what is widely regarded as the 'start' of the menstrual cycle."

The wolf starred at the hare for a few long seconds. " _Sooo_ ," Wolfard said, unsure of what to say; hoping to find something that continued the conversation in a natural way (without making it obvious most of what she'd just said had gone over his head)... "you've a PhD...?"

Flo blinked at the wolf. When Wolfard looked back with a nervous expression of confusion, the hare raised her arms and indicated the medical equipment around her.

"Oh, erm... yeah."

"...I can see why you haven't made it to detective."

"Hey!"

"Just making an observation. Anyway, what I came here for:" Reversing out of the room, Flo reemerged a moment later pushing a small trolley bearing a white plate with a white, plastic lid. "Supper time," she said with (only slightly sarcastic) cheerfulness, and pushed the trey up to the edge of the wolf's bed.

"Oh, thanks!" he said, reaching out and taking the plate of hot food and lifting the lid to reveal a plate of brightly too-brightly colored vegetables. He sniffed at it, and picked up a soggy piece of broccoli with his fork. He lifted it, and the broccoli slid off again. "Gee... great."

"As per governmental requirements," Flo stated, pushing up her glasses, "all overnight patience of any hospital acting under Zootopian law are required to proved an nutritious meal of a quantity relevant to that species's size. Said food must conform to the 'healthy eating' plan and contain no synthetic meat products of any kind, regardless of said species 'species', in accordance with the 'Public Offense Prevention and Unsavory-Predator-Tendencies Act' of eighteen ninety-one."

"A nutritious meal," he repeated.

Flo nodded, brightly.

"...it's over boiled vegetables."

"Thus also fulfilling the requirement to ensure all patience are drinking enough water in relation to the Health and Hydration Act of-"

"Alright, _I get it!_ " Wolfard looked down at the plateful of assorted mush, pushing his fork, disheartedly, through the pieces of food which offered no resistance to the metal prongs due to the fact they were largely water.

Flo sustained her forcibly cheerful smile a moment longer, but then it slowly started to fall. The was the reaction most mammals (predictors especially) had when presented with this, but for once, she actually felt a _little_ sorry about it. She wasn't even in the mood to make an indirectly condescending comment about it like she usually would have.

Sighing, the wolf forced a piece of the soggy greenery into his mouth. He chewed (well, sucked) on it for a moment, then, his head not turning, Wolfard's gaze slowly turned to the hare stood beside him. _Come on, Wool, make a little effort at least. You'll be out of here in the morning and'll probably never see her again. There's no harm in... testing the waters._

Clearing his throat softly, the wolf pulled himself upright a little more. Flo drew herself form her thoughts and turned expectantly towards him.

"So, erh..." he said, not intending to ask her out yet but already felt tense just because of the desire to. "You been a nurse long?"

Flo's expression turned curious as she looked at him. She stared at him closely, as though trying to judge his expression. A few long seconds later, something seemed to twig in the hare's mind, and she brightened up a little and answered: "A fare few years now. I left collage in my early twenties, went to University, completed my PhD when I was twenty eight, applied for a job in this place, and went from there. What about you? Always wanted to be a policemammal?"

"Pretty much," he said, trying just a little too hard to sound cool about it. "My dad was on the force, you know. He-"

"I don't."

Wolfard paused. "Pardon?"

"You implied I knew you father was on the force. I was informing you I do not."

Wolf squinted. As far as he could tell, she wasn't being ironic. " _No_... it's just a figure of speech."

"...oh."

Wolfard wondered for a moment if she really hadn't understood what he'd meant. He considered following this line further, but quickly decided picking holes in her knowledge (her being as proud of her smarts as she was) might not be the best way of getting her 'attention'.

"Well, I," he started, after a moment... "I guess if you haven't heard it before, it might be a little confusing."

Flo inclined her head as though making to nod. Wolfard scratched as his collar as he thought for something else to say, aware her job would drag her away all too soon.

"So, eh... you always wanted to be a nurse?"

"I had no particular interesting being or _not_ being a nurse at any point. It was simply a matter of doing what I was good at."

"Oh, really?"

Flo nodded. "Hm. I used to get picked on quite often when I was a kid - called 'four eyes' and the likes. The bullies used to come up to me and take the mick out of my clothes or my hair or my glasses... and then I used to deconstruct their habits and lifestyle choices, and exactly how they were shortening their lifespans and what infectious diseases they were increasing the chance of getting."

"Really?"

"Yepp. One time I was called in to the headmaster's office for making one of the students cry be 'pointing out' the likelihood of his having a bulimia and anorexia disorder."

"God, how old were you?"

"About six, seven, when that happened."

The wolf stared at the hare for some moments. He pictured the image of a tiny hare sat in a large office, trying to convince a stoic, stern headmaster of the fact she was only trying to help people by positing out what was wrong with them. He processed the image a moment longer, and then, a smirk started to break out on the wolf's face and he started to chuckle.

Flo raised a brow. "I really so no matters worthy of causing your laughter at the moment, Mister Wolfard. Would you kindly desist in your your rhythmical contractions of the diaphram?"

At this comment, Wolfard's laughter grew in volume; despite herself, a small grin to form on the hare's own face.

Encouraged by the feeling of warmth his laughter had created, the wolf decided to try and take things a little step further. "So, _Flo,_ " he said, softly, doing his best to make his voice warm as he gazed towards her... "would you mind telling me your ' _first_ ' name?"

Under most circumstances, Wolfard would've been happy to let the relationship between them build naturally for a while before trying to force intimacy out of it - but he also knew he was only spending one night here, and that the only way he would be able to see her again would be outside of the hospital - as friends, or on a date - so had to rush more than he would have liked.

Flo watched him curiously. Again, it was as though she was trying to read his expression. Her brow furrowed, her expression tightening as she tried harder and harder to figure out his reasons for acting how he was. Eventually, her shoulders sagged and she sighted, lightly. "Never been able to read expressions," she muttered, grimly. "Alright, why are you asking that?"

Wolfard's smile faded a little. "I just... I was just curious about what you're called, that's all."

"You don't need to know my first name."

"No, but... I'd like to."

"Why exsert the energy? The only reason you have for wanting to know me better is if you hopped to...~" She cocked her head in thorght, her expression tightening again as she tried to work out his motives. She'd always had a skill for spotting and deducting medical or lifestyleissues in people, but when it came to expressions and social motivations~

"So what's your first name, anyway?" she said.

"Uh-urh, don't think I'm telling you that without you telling me yours."

"Well you tell me yours and I might tell you mine."

" 'Might'? Come on, Flo, I hardly know you at all and I know not to trust a 'might' from you."

A small smile grew on Flo's face. _She's enjoying this,_ Wolfard realized. _She's enjoying mental confrontation. It's probably stimulating to her, or something._

"Names are meaningless anyway," she said; "a completely arbitrary system with no historical or personal meaning."

"Is that so?" he said, jokingly. "Well, what about the name your parents gave you? That must have some sort of 'personal' meaning."

"I never knew my parents," she said, her voice soft.

"Oh," he said, his laughter dying. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright," she said, slipping her paws into her pockets as she gazed up at the ceiling light. "I've had more than long enough to get over the fact I never meat them. It doesn't emotionally affect me anymore."

Wool sat in quiet thought for a moment. He spoke, carefully: "You an only child too?"

Flo nodded. "I grew up with my Aunt. She's just about the only family member I have."

Wolfard nodded to himself, speaking softly. "Yeah, it's starting to make sense now."

"What is?" Flo said, turning towards him.

"You're not a... it's just, you're not much of a ~" Wolfard trailed off, glancing down at the floor as he tried to find a delicate way of putting it. His eyes rose again, and met the intelligent, sharp blue eyes of the tall hare.

"You're a 'head' person; it sounds like you always have been. You're not one for socializing, not one for romance, and I'm guessing you were bullied at school because you didn't really get on with anyone and made everyone jealous by being top of the class all the time."

The nurse's head tilted to one side. Wolfard started to worry he'd taken it too far, but then a thin smile form on the hare's features. "Go on."

"The other kids were bitter that you were naturally so much smarter than them, and they used to tease you for it, forcing you to retaliate with ironic and sarcastic comments of your own - hence your current, passive-aggressive 'charm'. You found that the jealous masses were no less childish towards you after you left school than before, and so, in defense, you grew to enjoy your own company and being alone, and learnt to get a kick out of teasing and mocking other people in ways so sarcastic and subtle, they hardly even realized they were being poked at."

Slowly, the white-coated hare raised a paw and slipped her glasses from her face, and cleaned the glass on the sleeve of her coat. "I take back what I said, Mister Wolfard. You're fit to be a detective after all."

The wolf smiled. He hardly knew the hare at all really, but already he knew her well enough to know that compliments came very rarely from her, but very earnestly when they did. "Well _thank you_ ," he said, warmly, still trying to take in everything he'd just said; everything he'd just worked out on a role of deduction after deduction, flowing naturally as though coming from nowhere.

His self-satisfied smile slowly started fading as he processed the last little bit he'd worked out - about how she'd learned to enjoy her own company - and he turned up towards her with a questioning expression on his face.

" _Sooo_... with that in _mind_..."

Flo's thin smile grew a little more as she took in his expression. "Yes?"

"Why are you here? Hanging out with _me_?"

The hare's thin smile dropped. She floundered with her words for a moment and then, without warning, turned and made to take the trolley towards the door. "I'm sorry, Mister Wolfard, but I really have no time to chat. There's so much work to do tonight and I can't afford the time to-"

"Flo, _wait!"_ Wolfard's paw shot out and grabbed the hare by the wrist. Flo flinched at his touch. She pulled, but the wolf's paw remained; eventually, she stopped pulling, and sighed. Her gaze rose to the ceiling, and fixed on one of bright strip bulbs.

"F-flo," he stuttered, his tongue catching is his mouth and all his words rolling into one, " _woul- wouldyouliketogoutonadatewithme...?_ "

Flo didn't move, and just continued starring up at the ceiling like nothing had been said. A moment later, her eyes closed, and she tried pulling away again. This time, Wolfard relented, and her paw slipped away from his, just as the hare slipped away out of the room a moment later... the door swinging closed behind her.

Wolfard gazed, mouth open, at the slowly swinging door. He sat back, heavily, into the wall with a thump.

 _You stupid,_ _ **stupid**_ **jerk!** he shouted to himself. _That is_ _ **not**_ _how you ask someone out! Blabbing it all out in one cry like some sort of maniac. Is it any wounder she's not interested after that!?_

The wolf fell lower with a heavy huff into the unsoft mattress of the uncomfortable bed, his limbs falling limply off the edges of the bed as he gazed up at the piercing, white lights of the ceiling. He had a headache, and he needed a drink, but right now, he couldn't even be bothered to reach over to the counter and pour himself one.

"But then I guess I shouldn't be to pissed about it," he muttered to himself, turning onto his side, facing away from the door. "Hopps and Wilde have spent pretty much all day every day with each other for over a year now. I guess it just takes for a prey to trust a predator enough to want to be in that kind of relationship. Just a pitty," he grumbled into the cushion, "that Flo and I never had the time for that to happen."

His eyes straining under the intense, bright light, Wolfard pushed his head underneath the semi-darkness of the cushion and forced his eyes to close.

...

Elsewhere, in a none too wealthy, though cheerful and upbeat part of the city of Zootopia, a taxi pulled up to a stop on a clean, city street.

The occupant thanked the driver, and handed over the appropriate cash, stepping out of the car, and looking up towards the café; the goldleaf sign above the door: 'Joe's Place'.

She took a slow breath, and stepped away from the cool tarmac of the road, towards the red-painted door of progress.


	68. Confabulation by Candlelight

There was no difference in the layout or design of Joe's Place since the last time Judy had entered there. It was a little less busy, but it was the same furniture of solid wood, the same sweet, round tables with the same candle lighting and the same soft, unobtrusive music was being piped in through the speaker.

Why, then, was the atmosphere so very different?

The whole room felt darker to the rabbit, and the air filled her with a stilted dread as her foot fell upon the welcome mat, feeling far less than 'welcome'. She glanced about herself - glanced to a table in the corner - and saw a black-striped jackrabbit, smiling at her smugly.

 _Come on, Judy,_ she told herself, _you're the one with the upper hand here - stop being so nervous._ Slipping a paw into her pocket, she checked the tranq dart she had snatched while at the PD was still there. She sighed with the slight release of tension. It was.

Stepping towards him, puffing out her chest and trying to hide her fear, Hopps reminded herself of the situation: Jack was here, under the impression that Nick was a manipulative and aggressive boyfriend to Judy; and that she wanted to know everything Jack was planning _only_ because she was terrified of the fox, and wanted to help Jack put him away for good.

Jack had no idea he was being played; by the time Judy had reminded herself of the situation and reached his table, all _inward_ sighs of fear were vanquished... and the only uneasiness she showed was to aid in the deception, the farce that she was just a helpless, dumb bunny.

Smirking up at Judy with an expression that was supposed to be calculated and alluring - but really just made her cringe on the inside - Jack lay back in his chair and waved his arm in a wide arch towards the chair across from him.

Judy sat down slowly the seat, starring at Jack. He sat back low in his chair, one foot resting on the tabletop with his legs wide apart. With where her chair was and how he was sat, Judy had a... 'great' view of everything she could ever hope to see of Jack - and rather a lot more besides. Judging by his smirk, and just how wide he was holding his legs, it was clearly intentional.

Jack gazed likewise and Judy, though he didn't seem to feel much like talking right now, with his gaze tracing across all her body, and lingering for a time on something (or two things, rather) just between her shoulders and below her chin.

In any other circumstance, Judy would've taken the opportunity of his wide-legged posture to insert her foot at great speeds into his groinal area for how he was looking at her - and then gone home to scrub herself in the shower - but, right now, she needed his information more.

In time - in his own, sweet time - Jack's gaze returned to where it should have been, and his mouth opened. "I went down to your apartment. Quite a mess that armadillo made."

Unsure of what to say - aware she couldn't appear too 'with it' and had to maintain this air of 'helpless country hick' - the female rabbit just nodded, sadly.

"I guess it's a good thing Wilde forced you over his place to take his dick."

Judy's mouth moved: _'Nick would never 'force' me into something like that!_ ' but she stopped herself before the words came out, and just nodded with a suitably 'oppressed-looking' expression, muttering the words, "It was horrible," under her breath.

His foot slipping off the tabletop, Jack shrugged. "Wilde is a horrible mammal. He always had a _very_ overactive sex drive. Just about every night he took a whore to bed with him. He had a girl once upon a time, but when she couldn't keep up with the amount of mating he demanded, he shot up and killed her."

"Oh God, really? How do you know this?"

"I have my ways. Wilde used to be a pretty significant figure... for a little gang called The Firm." Sitting back, Jack slipped an expression of fear and surprise across her features. "Yep," he added, in answer to her reaction, "he was one of the head guys working there at the time. I worked as an undercover sleeper agent there for a while, and while I was doing a little work inside, I got my orders from none other than Wilde himself."

"Gosh... I never knew that. So you knew him from before?"

"Yeah. I didn't know him well at all, but I know how he works. He didn't usually make a habit of killing personally, but his orders and his actions were responsible for the deaths of hundreds of mammals - of officers - and resulted in the theft or damage of thousands upon thousands of pounds to Zootopia. He single-handedly," he added, his voice growing in strength with righteous fury, "conceded, organized and catalyzed the armed raid on the Bank of Zootopia, the sabotaging of the ZPD radio watchtower and who knows how many other major blows to the ZPD and MI-Z; blows which slowed them in their God-given quest to obliterate the scourge of The Firm from this earth; blows which lended strength to a criminal sect _bent_ on the destruction and misfortune and others. Again, he never killed personally," he continued, his voice softening again, "but the death and misery of _thousands_ is on his paws."

Hopps gazed at the rabbit, his gaze fixed on the tabletop, his expression distant and sorrowful. "You'll never know," he added, placing his own hand on his heart absent mindedly... "just how many lives he ruined."

Judy's gaze lowered to the tabletop likewise. A memory flashed into her head, of Nick telling her about his past experiences with Jack.

"All he wanted to do was make the world a better place. But in truth, it was the world that changed him... I changed him." The fox's voice dropped low as he stared at his paws clasped in his lap. "It was late in the year in wintertime, about three, four years after I recruited him. He phoned me one day, asked if we could meet somewhere private. It was arranged, and we met up later that day." Nick's gaze rose to stare up at the sky; he crossed his arms over his chest. "He said things to me I never thought I'd hear, not from him. Not Jack: the fantastic womanizer who shared a bed with a different girl each night, and who hated and loathed and despised me with all his soul." Her voice was soft as she asked, "What did he say?" "I remember every detail of what happened," he said, distantly, "the way he shifted from foot to foot, how he kept fidgeting with his paws, kept trailing off and stuttering, his expression, his tone, the way he kept looking off to the side before looking back~ " "But what did he say?" "And I laughed at him," he added, sickly. "I just stood there, and laughed at him." His gaze falling, the fox's eyes closed remorsefully. "Out of everything else that was going on in his life at the time, everything that made him look in the mirror and wounder who the heck he was, made him question his values, his faiths, beliefs. After everything he had been through it was this... me... that finally broke him." "Nick, what did he say?" "Sorry, Hopps. That's not my secret to tell."

Bringing herself back to the moment, the female opened her mouth to ask, earnestly, what had happened that night up on the roof. She sat forwards as she made to speak, but then remembered the deception she was trying to pull off, and switched it to another question. "And you know all this just from your short time undercover in The Firm?"

"After my _short_ time working as an undercover operative, I spent a lot of time researching Wilde and made sure there was always someone close by watching him."

"I bet he was never quick enough to outsmart you," Hopps said, smiling shyly.

Jack's expression grew into a smirk. " 'Course not. He's a smart mammal, I give him that - all these years and I thought he was dead - but he could never outsmart me." His expression hardening, Jack's voice dropped slightly and he leaned in closer. "He got away, cheated death, once before, but it will not happen again. I'm onto him - my teeth are in, and I am _not_ letting go."

Trying not to laugh in the stripped rabbit's face, Hopps managed to swoon at his words - not too much, just enough to get his attention. "Oh, Jack, you're so handsome when you're serious."

His chest puffing out, Jack suddenly appeared an inch taller as he sat in his chair. He restrained himself from grinning inanely, but a smug grin still spread across his face.

"If you look back over the past few weeks, there's a definite trend: the volume of drugs in this city are raising. It's raising a steady, continuous amount and includes even some particularly rare kinds which you don't tend to see in these areas. This indicated to Bogo and to the MI-Z that this was the work of a criminal gang, flying, or most likely sailing, over from another country, to sell their wares here. The information you found reinforced this idea, and what happened down in the harbor with Black pretty much proves it.

"Wanting to stop the drug spree before it started, the MI-Z and Chief Bogo, on behalf of the ZPD, pulled some resources and Intel together, and assigned Me especially to oversee the investigation. I found this gang was a real professional sort. It helps that they're based in another country, but also, I thought, because they have someone on the inside. It was then I started checking the police records on the police themselves. I saw Wilde's name and knew without a shadow of a doubt it was _him_ who was keeping this new 'gang' informed.

"I don't know if he was the head or not but I wouldn't be surprised. He does work full time with the PD, I know, but Wilde's job in The Firm revolved around organizing and arranging people, and delegation was always one of his strong points. If he's successfully delegated enough jobs to enough people, he could successfully run a whole gang and hardly have to lift a finger. I had no evidence to further investigate him, of course, until after the murder at Ladders was found to be by Wilde's gun. I asked Bogo's permission, and he put me onto the fox specifically.

"I've been tracking the both of you for a few days now, but haven't come up with anything. I don't know how, but Wilde must've caught my scent when I was following the two of you at Reg' House. Turns out though, he was doing me a favor by cuffing me up to the wall 'cause, girl, you never would've known I was there if not. Now, though, we can work together. Now, we can finally put this fox where he belongs. I assume you want to see him jail too?"

"I want to see that bastard locked up," Hopps chimed in, quickly. "You can count on me."

Jack smirked. "There's my good little bunny."

"So, how are we going about this?"

"Well, like I said, I can't get the evidence I need on my own, so you and I are going to need to get a little 'creative' in how we go about this. Now, before you start worrying, don't worry: Chief Bogo himself asked me to investigate Wilde. He knows just as well as I that he's guilty, but needed me - an 'independent' agent - to 'find' the evidence for him, just as you and Wilde 'found' the evidence on Erkin with no _legal_ permission to enter and just the conviction that they were guilty."

"Okay, I trust you," Judy lied. "What's the first step"?

"You see... well, you remember that body you found at Ladders? The one who'd been shot through the head, leaving a bullet that belonged to a rare type of gun?"

"Yes."

"You may also remember the documents on who actually owned the gun were inconclusive?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well... I have that paperwork. One gun belonged to Wilde, and the other, girl he once murdered. Now, if we went to arrest him there and then, he'd just claim the fennec at Ladders was killed by the other gun, and that it had been stolen by whatever 'imaginary' person killed his girl. There'd be no evidence for or against and so, under the law of 'innocent until proven otherwise', we'd have no choice but to let him go. That's where you come in."

Straightening in her chair, Judy spoke, without trace of unease. "What do you need?"

"Such a brave girl," Jack said, glancing about him, as he slipped something hard out of his trouser pocket. Judy's eyes widened with surprise.

"Is that ~"

"No. It's a replica."

"It's a...? Oh, I get it. Clever. That's very clever."

Making sure no one was looking in their direction, Savage pulled the replica Ruger SR ME from his pocket and handed it to the rabbit under the table. "Put this in your pocket," he said, quickly. "I found the original construction specs for the gun Wilde custom ordered (it took a heck of a lot of digging, but I found it); this is an _exact_ replica. I even had my associate who made it inscribe it with the same serial number as the gun that once belonged to Wilde's girlfriend."

Taking the gun, Hopps examined it carefully. It was little more than a toy - built from metal though it was - but looked and felt exactly like the real thing. "But surely," she said, slipping it into a pocket... "Surely someone's gonna notice that it's just a fake; that it's not a real gun at all."

"Not initially," Jack said. "Yes, under close examination (or if anyone tries to fire it) it'll be obvious it's just a copy, but all we need for now, is for it to _look_ like the real thing. Listen, Hopps... the _only_ thing we need to do, is have enough proof for _me_ to convince Bogo that Wilde needs a full and _though_ investigation of his past, and I'll be able to direct the investigation exactly where it needs to go to find out about his time with The Firm."

"But still, how long do you expect using a fake gun as a piece of integral evidence to work?"

"Only for as long as it takes to convince Bogo of Wilde guilt. That's it. He pretty much just has to see it in Wilde's possession and that'll be enough."

"So what happens to it then? What do you do when, say, the court case comes about?"

"It won't be the first time evidence has 'disappeared'; the contact who made this for me is very good at keeping quiet about things. Once I have Bogo and his team investigating Wilde properly, I can snatch the gun away without anyone seeing and make sure it's never seen again. After all, once they figure out who that fox used to work for, his having possession of the murder weapon will be superfluous to requirements."

Judy thought for a moment. Her head cocked, and she leaned in a little closer to the table. "So you're saying that you really believe that Nick _is_ the mammal in charge of this _whole_ drugs operation?"

"That is correct, yes."

"But why?"

"Money, power, influence. He made a hell of a lot of cash working in The Firm - had fine clothes, expensive suits, ate out every night, had a lush apartment - and doubtless he had gotten used to being in charge of a large force of people. Chances are he's hoping to regain some of his former power."

"Then why did he murder the fennec?"

" 'Cause he knew who he was! He must've recognized him from the news reports or something, been thick-headed enough to mention it to Wilde's face, and caused him to have to kill 'im to keep his identity secret."

"But that's just speculation. You can't prove it, surely."

"True, but that's not the thing that matters. He murdered him - we know he did - and _that_ is what matters - not why; not with all the other evidence I can pin on him, anyway."

"Wow..." Judy starred at Jack, her gaze filled with wounder. She'd learnt a lot of things from Nick in their last year together, and hiding her real expressions under the guise of another was one of them. "You really are _so_ smart. You say Bogo put you onto this?"

"He did, yes."

"But does _he_ feel like Nick is guilty?"

"He's..." Jack faltered, his gaze flicking away for a moment. "He's undecided. I don't think he knows what to think; he wants to believe Wilde's innocence, naturally, because of the implications of his hieing a murderer on the police force. But he also wants to do what's right. We have to _help_ him - _I_ have to help him - to see that fox for what he really is: a crook, a fabricator and a murderer."

Judy watched the fire which lit up in the jackrabbit's eyes. _He means it,_ she thought. _He really means to 'help' Bogo by revealing Nick's crocked side._ Nick was right: through his ego and his strange, twisted sense of 'justice', he'd started believing his own lies.

He no longer saw what his real goal was, Judy realized. He'd stopped seeing it as 'get Wilde arrested to discredit his name before he tries to do the same to me' and now saw only one thing: an ex-Firm operative working in the police force, who murdered the fennec at Ladders and was the source of all the trouble with the gang of drug runners... and he had to be brought to justice.

Weather it was true or not didn't matter. Jack had forgotten to see that. It was a con; a con no different than the ones Nick used to pull just before he joined the force. The only difference was Nick was conning other people - Jack was just conning himself.

The light glazed in the female rabbit's eyes as she thought. If Nick had been right - if Jack really had set out to do good, but had been torn apart and turned crooked by the same speciesism which had nearly ruined her - despite all that he'd done... Judy felt sorry for him.

The moment of feeling sorry for him was fleeting, however, as Judy's mind returned to the moment.

"So, you know what you have to do?"

"Erm..."

"Hide this somewhere in Wilde's apartment where a police search can 'find' it later."

"Sure."

"It would be better if we could get his pawprints on it first. If you can't do it safely, don't risk it, but do it if you can."

"Okay. So... that armadillo in my apartment: what do you think of that?"

Not exactly expecting the question, Jack sat back as he took it in. "Well, it definitely wasn't an armadillo who kicked that door in like that. If you're asking if it was a hitmammal Wilde sent after you because he knew you were talking to me, I doubt it. It is theoretically possible, but if he wanted you killed in your apartment that night, why, then, would he invite you to stay round his for the night, unless..."

Jack's eyes widening, his expression slackened. "I just got it," he said, his voice slow and distant. "The reason for Scarlett's death."

"Scarlett?" Judy said quickly, aware Jack hadn't yet mentioned her by name and that she ' _didn't know_ ' about her yet."

"Yeah," said Jack, "Wilde's last girlfriend, the one he had murdered. It was late in the afternoon and Nick was 'out' when the murderer attacked. There were clear signs of violence - blood everywhere, overturned furniture, scratches on the walls and floor..." the rabbit's expression fixed on Judy, meaningfully. "If you hadn't accepted that invitation to sleep with him that night, Hopps... you'd be dead now. That was to be your punishment for refusing his advances, _just like_ it was Scarlett's punishment for refusing him."

Judy gazed at the ghosted expression of Savage. She knew it was a lie, of course, but it was still a surprising.

Sitting forwards slowly, Jack's voice becoming softer; more lenient. "It's not safe for you to be alone tonight, so... how about we go to that safehouse of yours, and we let this get real under the sheets?"

Stifling a choke, Judy flinched at his words. "Wh - what?"

Jack smirked. "Come on, Hopps, I know you're interested." His head tilted to one side, his smirk turning to a simple smile. "You're a virgin, aren't you? Well, I promise you, Judy, I can show you a warmer, more compassionate night than that fox ever could."

"B-"

"And if that fox dares to make an attempt on your life while _I'm_ around," he added... "I'll make him pay with more than his life's worth."

Hopps stumbled with her response. She had anticipated a move like this, but it still knocked her off guard. Her eyes eventually locking back with Jack's, she managed to part her startled expression into a small smile of anticipation.

"I - I'd like that... _Jack_."

His smile growing wider, he stood and pulled the chair back for Hopps as she stood likewise a moment later, leaning swiftly towards her and planting a small kiss on her shoulder as she stood.

Hopps bristled, but Jack assumed it was with surprised pleasure.

Looping an arm across her shoulders, Jack lead her, gently, away form their table and towards the door out, the female waiter smiling at the 'cute couple' as they passed.

For some reason, as the rabbit walked, a thought she had not expected entered her mind. As she and the black-stripped rabbit made towards the door out, a memory flashed to her mind: a memory of her time at police academy... the close quarters combat lesions... and all the many, _many_ ways Hopps felt like busting that sly rabbit-creep up as he lead her out of the door.

"It's gonna be a cold night," he said, softly, leading her towards his car. "Good job we'll have each other to warm ourselves against."

Judy muttered a long string of many curse words under her breath. She would handle his self-importance and his ego for now... but all the while as she walked, she kept one paw firmly on the dart in her pocket... the one with the tranquilizing agent strong enough to knock out a buffalo.


	69. Firelight

I am very sorry, but the last chapter contains a mistake. Towards the end of their discussion, Jack asked (and Judy confirmed) that she was a virgin. Pleas disregard this. While true, Jack is supposed to be under the impression that she is being sexually abused by Nick.

Instead, pretend his question went something like: "So, you ever shared a bed with a mammal who actually cared about you?" ...or something like that. Just bare in mind that both Jack and Bogo - as of chapter 23 - are under the impression Hopps and Wilde have mated.

Also, thank you, 'Guest' for your kind comment.

 _ **Smail.**_

* * *

A red flame sparked into life in the darkness. In the shadows of his corrugated metal hut - unlit by the pale moon which hung high above - a dark shape moved.

It drew the red flame, the light of a match, up to its pipe and drew a long puff.

The small and shoddily-built shack was filled with thick, heavy smoke as the large, shaggy dog breathed his lungful out into the cold air. His fire had died to embers, and the chilling wind which blew in from the lake surrounding the city of Zootopia sucked away any slight heat which once existed inside.

Black Shuck sat in the cold darkness. He sucked again on his old, simple pipe, making the ashes within glow moodily, reflecting off the dog's single eye; making it glow red like firelight.

He turned a little, towards the hole of broken glass where once his window lay, and sniffed the air, feeling the presence of the guard - the armed polar bare - out side the window.

He heard footsteps approaching from close by through his torn and tattered ears, feeling a new scent approach. It smelt, to Shuck, like dusty books and worn leather; like polished oak and ageless halls of study and learning. Nyilas.

The retired shiphand sighed gruffly, pulling himself up in his worn, felt chair and steadying himself for what he knew was to come, for there was another scent which approached with the professor; Shuck cold hear his boisterous and arrogant voice already.

Clenching his pipe between his stained, barbed teeth, Shuck reached under his table for a small can of lighter fluid. He took it out and removed the lid, as the billy goat and the coyote approached, reaching out for his lantern - the flame of which had been turned own low - and pouring fresh fuel into it.

The door was pushed open suddenly. Shuck paused for a moment, but then set his old-style oil lantern down carefully upon the table, as though nothing had happened.

The silence dragged on for several long seconds; the ruggedie dog feeling the coyote's gaze probing the darkness, seeking for him, but while not holding the guts to step into the darkness alone.

"I'm here, alright," Shuck muttered, reaching out to his lantern and truing up the flame. "No need 't be getting yourself all worked up."

As the flame in the lantern grew, a dull, yellowish light filled the small interior of the shack. Shuck sat back in his chair, his eye glinting red as he looked upon the coyote in the door, who stood holding Nyilas firmly before him, gazing back at the dog with an expression which was supposed to look tight and mean - but really just looked nervous and edgy.

The dog crossed his thick, sailor's arms. "Usin' an archaeology professor as a living shield? What kind of a coward are you."

"No kind at all," George shot, releasing the elderly goat and shoving him away as though his presence insulted him. "And even if I was a coward, at least I'm not a _dead_ coward!"

Shuck said nothing for a moment, then tilted his head, leaning forwards and cocking an ear sarcastically. "Sorry, were that meant to be some sort of 'punchy comeback'?"

"I'll show you 'punchy'," George shot, stepping quickly towards the dog and swinging a fist towards him.

Shuck rose, and suddenly the slouching, aging mammal was a tall and black mass. His shadow lurched gigantic in the lantern light, and his red eye shone with the sin of delves.

The color drained from the coyote's face, but his weight had already been thrown into the first punch. It hit heavily - but in the same way a tossed stone can hit heavily against the hull of a ship - and Shuck didn't even flinch at the blow.

The demon dog snatched the coyote's wrist and twisted, violently. George fell onto one knee, his voice rising to a high-pitched yelp of pain.

A round of gunfire exploded into the wall, both dog and goat turning with a start to the polar bear who stood in the window, a line of bullet holes is the wall of Shuck's shake; the muzzle of his assault rifle now aimed directly at the dog.

Reluctantly - his single eye fixed on the polar bare - the black dog released the coyote's paw, and stepped back against the opposite wall, placing his paws up upon his head.

George climbed back up onto his feet, clutching at his twisted arm, his body hunched low and submissive through fear and through pain, as he spoke to the polar bare through stuttered coughs. "Br - bring two mammals in here; they can deal with this scum.

The bare nodded, turning over his shoulder and calling something out in a Germanic-sounding language. A reply was called a moment later, and then two mammals started walking towards the shack from some distance away.

"That, _erh_ ," George grunted, trying to catch his breath... "that wasn't a very smart thing to do, Mister Black. It would've been far easier on you if you'd held back."

Shuck said nothing but kept a wry eye on the polar bare - not trusting George's self control enough to risk insulting him when all he'd have to do is say a few words and he'd be peppered with bullet holes.

"Now, _ugh_ , what I came to say: you've already been a great inconvenience to us over the past few days. In cutting off our drugs drop-off prematurely yesterday, you forced us to return tonight to finish the shipment. Not only has the lost time wasted thousand of pounds of my master's money, but also you've forced us to sacrifice one of our Hives - a distraction for the ZPD to clear out the port while we made the drop off."

Wincing - still not daring to look the dog in the eye - George made a slow, wide arch with his arm, trying to sooth some life back into his almost dislocated shoulder.

"I decided, as I've told you, it'll be best for everyone if you come back to our base of operations with us and keep you there quietly until everything's sorted out. The list of the vehicles have just left carrying the last of the drugs, and they're now being dispersed to our eight _remaining_ Hives."

The coyote glanced up at the dog. Shuck's teeth glinted as he smiled.

"When my men get here, you'll be hauled on board our tanker-vessel, and shipped back over with us. There, you'll face trial, and no doubt execution, for your crimes against our cause."

"Trial," Shuck said, flatly, "from criminals."

George looked, again, up into the face of the hound. This time, his gaze held firm. "And execution."

Shuck's arms sagged - the muzzle of the rifle still following him carefully as he raised hands dropped to his sides. "The condemned man," he said, defeatedly, as he heard two more mammals approaching his shack, "is usually allowed a final cigarette."

The coyote's lip twisted into a grimace, and his arms crossed over his chest, but he considered for a moment, and then: "Just don't take too long. Vaughn," he called, to the two mammals now outside, "Botulf: come in here."

As the two mammals - an alpaca and a cougar - entered the now cramped shack, Shuck made a show of looking for his cigarettes. He glanced up to the billy goat stood awkwardly in the corner, caught his eye, and then spoke, casually:

"Zustan za mnou. Bu'te pripraveni a kachna."

The goat's eyes widened with surprise as he heard the words, but quickly hid his surprise with an expression of indifference, and nodded, following the dog's instructions, and slowly pacing towards the corner of the room behind him - with Shuck taking all of the coyote's attention as he animatedly searched for his cigarettes.

"You're taking too long," George said, his self confidence restored now he had two mammals beside him. "I want you ready to leave in-"

"Ah, here it be," he said, showing everyone gathered his small box of black cigarettes; the two new mammals, Vaughn and Botulf, turning and muttering to each other, again, in a foreign language.

"Right," he continued, picking up his oil lantern, his heart pumping faster and faster in his chest, his single eye flicking calculatingly between the coyote and the polar bare as he raised the lantern to his lips... "well, I'll just, erh ~"

The muscles in Shuck's arm bunched, and he hurled the lantern towards the coyote. The glass broke against his face. The lighter fluid flew out across the three of them. The flame took, and before they had a chance to do anything, all three were engulfed in fire.

The bare gawped, startled for half a second too long before turning towards the dog, as he flung himself clean out of the window - with a speed and athleticism which didn't befit his age - and threw all of his weight upon him.

They fought for the gun. The bare pulled the trigger, and a rapid procession of bullets flew at the wall of Shuck's shack - a line of bullets flying over Nyilas' head as he threw himself to the ground as Shuck had ordered him to.

The shack door burst open, and two flaming mammals burst out, screaming in unimaginable agony as their flesh was seared from their bone. One fell to the floor and started rolling, but lay unmoving a moment after that. The other sprinted off towards the edge of the port, and threw itself into the water below.

The polar bare grappled for the gun in his hands. The dog before him slipped a paw into a pocket, and pulled something small out with the speed of a lightning strike. There was a glint of steel in the moonlight, and the bare dropped like a sack to the floor - his white coat stained red with his blood.

A crowd of a dozen mammals came sprinting towards the dog. Shuck kicked the bear's gun up into his paws, and shot out a stream of bullets into the air.

The mob slowed but did not stop, and a number of them pulled handguns from their pockets and made to open fire in return.

Shuck swore and sprinted away from the crowd. He paused for an instant by the wall his shack and made to grab Nyilas from outside. Bullets started ricocheting from floor and wall beside him, and he swore again and sprinted away - shouting to Nyilas: "Just stay down!"

Supporting his now ruined shack upright was the skeleton of an old, abandoned boatbuilders' yard. Turning the corner into this dark, cramped space of half-built ships and outdated wood working equipment, the black dog disappeared into the darkness, making his way swiftly through the shadows - a path he had discovered through the wreckage of industry.

The mammals entered behind him, shouting and firing randomly, but they did not know the way through the abandoned factory building as Shuck did, and he was able to slip away into the second, abandoned boatbuilders' yard beside it.

He climbed up an old, wooden ladder, approached a window and dived out into the lake beneath. He swam with a speed in the water only sailors possessed and the sounds of voices shouting behind him soon faded into nothing.

...

In the darkness of his office, Chief Bogo gazed levelly at Nick Wilde. His brow low and his expression troubled, the cape buffalo sat with his hands clasped on the surface of his wide, sturdy table, just starring at the fox as he thought.

Licking his lips, Wilde shifted uneasily in his seat. Trying to avoid the Chief's lingering gaze, his gaze flicked out the open window which looked upon the city of Zootopia, and glanced across the lights which could be seen below.

Pulling himself up a little in his seat, Bogo made to speak. "Mister Wilde -"

He trailed off, and returned to fixedly starring at the fox, his had moving against the surface of the table; his fingers tapping slowly - ever so slowly - in its surface.

Upon finding the fox in the interrogation room, Bogo had been able to ascertain, quickly, what needed to be done. Forgoing his own interrogation with the fennec for now, he returned him quickly to the cell he had been taken from, before marching Wilde directly up to his apartment.

No one had seen them - Bogo had been careful of that - and, upon entering his office, the Chief had locked the door behind him, pulling a chair up towards his desk; placing it on a raised platform so he and Nick were more at eye height with one another.

Everything that needed doing had seemed so clear to the Chief to start with: his course of action had been obvious. But now, however, things were unsure... and his mind was as misted with unease.

Clearing his throat, the Chief tried again. "Mister Wilde, how long have you been with us now?"

Nick thought - of everything he'd been expecting, this wasn't it. "Erh, almost... almost nine months now?"

Bogo's head nodded, slowly. "And in that time you have proved to be a compatent and valuable member of the force."

Weary of where this line was going, the fox licked his lips. "Yes, sir?"

"You have worked selflessly to uphold Law and Order in this city. True, I judge you primordially did so for the sake .of Miss Hopps' approvement rather than for the upholding of the law, but either way, your intentions were honorable."

"Yes, sir."

Bogo's fist beat the table. "So what in _**damnation**_ were you doing with Bains!?" he yelled. "I mean," he added, his voice suddenly softer again, though strained, and with stress and confusion clearly written across his face, "you're a smart mammal, Wilde; a _good_ mammal. So why - I don't understand - why did you have to go doing something like that?"

"I, erm... I was just trying to help. See, I heard you saying you were having a job to get the fennec to talk, so I thought, since I was the one who pulled him in, I might try doing it for you."

"Oh, _Wilde_ ," Bogo sighed, his voice muffled and his face hidden behind the hands he raised to bury his head within in fatigue, "whatever are we to do with you?"

After a long sigh, the room was silent. Nick blinked, looking about himself in the unlit office. He turned up towards the ceiling, down towards his paws, and then back towards the buffalo sat before him with his head in his hands. The room was still completely silent.

Sitting forwards slowly, Nick placed a paw, softly, upon the tabletop. "Sir?"

The Chief didn't move, his face still hidden, the room still silent.

"Bogo?"

"... _I'm gonna have to_ fire _you for this, Wilde._ "

Nick flinched back at the words - but not because of what he said - but at the tone of voice as he said it: so distant and soft, and so tinted with emotion, with his face still concealed and his back still hunched, leaning low towards the table with his elbows resting on its surface.

" _You really leave me no choice. As the Chief of Police, it is my duty to ensure justice is carried out - in my own ranks as well as in the public."_

"Couldn't you just... give me a warning?"

The Chief's icy gaze locked with the fox. "Not... if you keep... _**lying**_ to me."

Nick was very small as he sat in his seat. "Chief?"

With an infuriated sweep of his arm, the Chief of Police sent his papers flying across  
the room. He stood, and shouted down at the fox, "Tonight was going to be the end of it, Wilde, damn you! I was planning to come clean with you about our suspicions and our putting a tail on you - but now I've caught you 'physically interrogating' a criminal without permission - there's a whole new damn line of questioning and investigation and suspicion I am legally _forced_ to open up about you."

The chair thumped against the floor with the force with which Bogo sat down again. "

"But - but what if I'm not lying?"

"Then it sucks for you!" he shouted. "You're right, through, in a court of law, I wouldn't be able to prove if you were lying or telling the truth - but I can still _fire_ you if my suspicions are strong enough, and I can still _fire_ you for being caught attacking a criminal."

"I never lyed paws on him!"

"It's still grounds enough to have you stripped of your badge. And if you don't open up and tell me _honestly_ what you were doing in there, I am going to take this pencil, and _**ram**_ it up your-"

The ZPD erupted into lights and noise. Wilde lept out of his chair in fear and in anxiety, and focus of Bogo's dark gaze was diverted from the fox to his radio.

"Clawhauser," he said into the device, "what's happened?"

"We just got a call from Shuck, sir. He's been attacked; the harbor's under siege!"

"What?" he bellowed, standing.

"It's the drug runners - they're back!"

Marching towards the door, Bogo threw all thoughts of the conversation to one side, shouting to the fox as he marched past and down the corridor, "Wilde, with me. Clawhauser, get the men assembled and put in an emergency requisition order for our raid gear. I want everyone armored up and in the main hall _now!_ "


	70. The Turning Tide

Note to Lydia:  
\- I have traversed the sea, with a hope to change your mind. Can we talk?

* * *

 _Some Minutes Before the Last Chapter..._

Time slowed for the coyote as the oil lantern was thrown across at him. He had never liked the overzealous XXX, self-important mutt from the moment he had met him, and had grown to fear and despise him and everything he stood for.

He had learnt - at the loss of the favor of his master, of thousands of pounds worth of time and at the loss of his own right hand - to always XXX every move the hound made; ever word he said.

However, for all his care, at the presence of the armed polar bear at the window, and the two guards by his side, he had relaxed his concentration for a moment too long, and knew - in that moment when time stood still; when his heart, lungs and mind flashed with hot panic - he had made a huge mistake.

Time sped up again, and then everything seemed to happen at once. The glass of the lantern smashed against his face, the oil split and he and the mammals beside him burst into flame.

George's world turning to searing, white pain, he opened his mouth to scream though no sound came out. He barged towards the door, his instincts taking over, pulling aside the flaming body of what was once a cougar and throwing it to the floor. He didn't stop. He charged on, his mind blitzed by pain - but being driven on by the instinct to survive - towards the edge of the harbor.

There was gunfire from behind him, though as the last of his fur was burnt away and as his flesh became the object of the flame's hatred, George was in no position to notice it. All he knew was the burning torment of the fire, and the edge of the harbor. He flung himself into the water, his body falling, collapsing into the coldness.

He passed from consciousness, laying face-up in the water - his breaths short, his mind absent form his body. Time passed. After what felt like hours, his mind was stirred by a sensation of movement. His mute and lightless world shifting and moving before him, the sensation of restful silence was replaced by a world of noise and pain; of mammals shouting to him in their native tongue:

" _Sir!_ _ **Sir!**_ Wake up! _Can you hear me?"_

"Is he alive? Is he breathing?"

"Where'd the dog go, did anyone get him?" _  
_  
His mind being dragged back to his body - a tarnished and blackened mess of hairless flesh which could easily have been mistaken for a corps - George opened his mouth to speak, and a thin wail of pain escaped him.

"A Doctor. Does anyone know the number of the emergency hospital in this country?"

"Are you crazy? We have no passport, no legal reason for visualizing and _how_ do we explain what happened?"

His mutterings of pain growing in volume, his smoldered paws started griping through the air, as through reaching out for the hand of Death; hoping He would take hold and free him from the pain of this world.

"He's alive?"

"Stand him upright!"

"The dog got away. What do we do, sir?"

" _Get the fuck away from me~!_ " he spat, his voice gruff and weak as he tried to push himself away from the several mammals helping him to stand, but finding his body to week to move, every inch of his flesh still stinging as though the fire was still upon him.

"We're compromised, the crew isn't ready, the dog got away and the-"

There was the sound of corrugated metal collapsing, and the assembled mammals turned with a start towards what remained of Shuck Black's hut as it fell inwards on itself.

I muffled cry emerged from within, a sheet of corrugated metal lifting itself up off the ground, revealing an elderly, male billy goat beneath, struggling to free himself from the metal he was trapped beneath.

The coyote raised a shaking, blackened finger towards the goat. " _Get that piece of shit over here_ ," he growled, his weary body fueled by venom.

Victor Nyilas managed, finally, to pull himself form the wreckage of the harbormaster's shack, and then he was set up by four mammals. There was less than a fight and the elderly goat was taken by both arms and dragged back to what remained of the figure of George the coyote.

He was thrown down onto his knees, a gun pointing at his head. He starred up - his expression fearful, but resolute - into the coyote's hideously burnt and scared face, and George reached out a hand.

"Phone."

He typed a number into the device, and the phone started to ring.

"I'm sure you know what's going to happen to you," he growled down at the professor. "But I want to let you see it happen to your _family_ first."

Victor's resolute expression broke. " _No!_ " he cried, "They have done nothing in this - _I_ have done nothing, it is not my fault what happened - it was _promised_ that after-"

"Our master brought _you_ in to oversee our ship-to-Hive operations. This happened under _your_ watch. This is _your_ fault; I will not be blamed for failure a second time."

The billy goat's expression became like ice, and all emotion and hope faded from his voice. "I am a scape goat, aren't I? I have been from the start."

Still suffering terrible pains, still struggling to breath and to think... George grinned down at the goat - the sight his head hanging low to the ground in defeat enough to restore some of the coyote's former pride. In his hand, the phone was answered.

"Appleby here," it said. "My Master is unfortunately predisposed at the...~" The badger starred at the coyote through the video message. "...what in hell's name happened to you?"

"Sir, it's Shuck, that festering _dog_ \- he killed three of my troops, did this to me and escaped! What do we do?"

Sir Appleby considered this statement carefully for a moment - never one for allowing emotion to rule his head - and then placed the laptop through which he was speaking down on a tabletop, turning swiftly to a large, black door. "I will see if the Master is yet roused."

...

In a tall, wide bedroom miles above the squalor of the city of Zistopia, a black-furred panther XXX eased in the white sheets of his soft, wide bed.

Like all the rooms in that black spire, the walls and floor was made from jet black stone, with the various furnishings calved ornately and expertly into the almost impenetrable rock. However, for all the blackness within the room, the warm sun shining in from outside reflected off the polished surfaces, giving the whole room a light, airy feel as the Lord of the tower stretched out easily in His bed, His black fur shimmering in the daylight.

The door opened slowly, his ever-infallible secretary, valet and butler gliding noiselessly into the room. He paused smartly in the doorway, and addressed his master in his refined and perfectly formal tones: "My Lord, a message for you. It is Mister, erm..." raising a paw, the badger flicked a spec of dust away form his otherwise spotless tailcoat... "It's that 'George' fellow, sir."

Raising a brow, the Lord's intelligent gaze regarded the badger for a long moment. Sighing, He pulled himself up a little higher, and pulled the sheets away. "Oh, Appleby," he said, stretching, "bring me my clothes; I will speak with George later."

"I do believe, sir," Appleby said, passing his Master's gray nightgown towards him, "that you would much rather speak to him now."

The Lord covered his sleek, black-furred body, glancing to the badger concernedly. "What's happened?"

"Mister Black has escaped, sir, leaving the 'George' fellow in a most unsightly state."

Showing only mild signs of frustration outwardly, the Lord raised his paw and rubbed his claws, delicately, against his closed eyes. "My mind still resigns partly in the realm of slumber. Tell me swiftly, Appleby, what this means."

"If my knowledge of the matter is to be trusted-"

The Lord chuckled. Appleby's capacity for knowledge was always to be trusted.

"- upon receiving a call from Mister Black, the ZPD will scramble back into their raid armor. If my judgment is right, if we have our associates at the Zootopia port make to leave now, they will not have time to leave the boarder before the police arrive.

"I believe, sir, that - just as we sacrificed one of our Hives to distract the local authority before - it would be wise, now, to sacrifice two or three pawns by sending them to the ZPD headquarters and have them engage in a brief firefight with the officers, giving our ship the required time to clear the area before the police have the chance to reach them."

His face clearing of the deep thoughtfulness of before, the Lord of Zistopa smiled, and turned up towards His valet. "Appleby, what would I do without you?"

Appleby smiled. "You are too kind, sir."

"Bring George in here. I'll get things sorted out."

"Yes, sir. Though, I must warn you," he added, pacing to the door, "his physical condition is not what it... once was." He returned from just outside with a laptop in hand, and paced back towards his Master as He settled himself back upon his bed.

The badger waited until his Master was settled. The Lord nodded towards him to give the signal, and Appleby raised the lid of the laptop, holding it perfectly still - without even the thought of complaining - as the discussion between his Master and George commenced.

"So, George, I hear- _oh my God!_ ," he shouted, recoiling from the sight, "Remove your face from my sight before I have it cut off."

"I- I'm sorry, sir," the coyote stuttered, hurrying to move himself out of shot of his phone's camera.

A shudder ran through the panther's body. Sir Appleby clocked this and made off - instantly and without orders - to prepare his Master a strong drink.

"In all of God's names," He muttered, taking the proffered drink and taking a long sip, "what happened to your _face_? It... it's just not _there!_ "

"It was that festering mutt," George shot, in anger and hatred of the pain he constantly suffered, and the state his body was now in. "He threw-"

"I do not want to know," the Lord cut in. "What matters _is_ that dog escaped and _you_ are the one responsible."

"I-"

"What else has happened, is anyone dead?"

"Three mammals, sir - the polar bear included. The mutt tried to free Victor Nyilas before he fled, but we still have him here."

An idea sparking to his mind, the panther raised his face from digging into his own hand. He turned back towards the laptop Appleby was holding, and said: "I tire of talking to you, George. Hand me over to Nyilas."

There was a moment of hot tension, and then the coyote relented and shoved the phone into the startled hands of the elderly goat.

The Lord turned his gaze up towards his butler as the phone was handed over, his voice dropping softer as he asked: "Remind me, does the local authority know what Nyilas looks like?"

"The Chief of Police at least _did_ , sir, though I cannot account for the strength of his memory. The respectable Miss Hopps and the infamous Mister Wilde, however, are certainly aware of his physical characteristics."

The Lord nodded, turning back down to the screen of the laptop

"My Lord," he goat started, timidly, "please forgive my-"

"Quite the mess you've made for yourself, isn't it, Nyilas?"

Chewing on his lip, the goat sought for what to say next, Shuck's escape still hot in his mind; the things he had told him burning to the front of his mouth.

"I hope you realize what a great deal of inconvenience you've cau-"

" _ **No**_ , sir, I have done _**nothing**_ except allow myself to be _abused_ by yourself and your associates. You brought me here _only_ so you could put your blame upon me and I say... enough."

The black panther watched crossed his legs at the ankle, a brow raising with interest at this outbreak.

"I will not be a scapegoat for you anymore. I have done all that you have asked of me - I found locations for your filthy 'Hives'; I informed you when the docks were clear for you entry; I managed your gangs of criminal scum. You promised me safe passage home tonight, Lordship, and that I would be reunited with my family _safely_."

A pained tear coming to his eye, the goat's voice dropped weaker and thinner, his throat becoming dry as he forced himself to finish: "And I will not let you use this Shuck's 'escape' - of which I was nothing to do with - as an excuse to keep me here, bound up in this filthy circle of crimes and drugs and death."

The Lord of Zistopia considered quietly for a long moment. His eyes, which had closed in careful thought, drifted open again and met the frightened, tired eyes of the goat.

"Appleby..." his gaze raising to the badger holding the device... "take this computer down to the basement. Tell the torchbearer he can begin his work on whoever of Nyilas' children are the youngest-"

" _Arh, sir-"_

"Set the laptop up somewhere with a good view; make sure our professor here is forced to watch."

The badger nodded his head and started to turn from the room, the sound of Nyilas' voice practically screaming for him to stop and go back. Appleby knew his Master's intention, naturally, and paused in his exit and turned the laptop back around.

"I - I will do _whatever_ you ask, my Lord, ple... just _**please**_ don't hurt my family ~"

The Lord's lip tightened. "This is the last thing you can do for me, Nyilas. Then, I'll have you reunited with your family. Have one of my associates drive you to the Zootopia police department headquarters. Await my instructions there."

Victor started to make a reply; the Lord signaled to Appleby, who flipped the laptop lid shut, cutting off whatever the goat was about to say.

The panther observed the badgers ponderous expression for a moment. "Yes, Appleby?"

"May I ask 'why', sir?"

"Simple. They've lost three crewmammals already; they can't afford to lose four more, the ship wold never make it with a crew that small. But Nyilas, while still expendable, is more than just a pawn. When he arrives, alone, at the ZPD, either Wilde or Hopps will recognize him. Their Chief will doubtless want him alive for his information, and will attempt to arrest him - thus taking as much time as killing three average 'thugs' with lethal force. Besides, if we throw a shooting gang at them, they'll _know_ something is seriously wrong."

Appleby nodded, thoughtfully. "I fear what may happen once the officers take Mister Nyilas captive - but I'm sure you know what you're doing. Will that be all, sir?"

"That will be all, Appleby. You can fetch my breakfast now."

"Thank you, sir," he said, turning, and drifting away out of the room.

"Appleby."

The badger paused in the doorway. "Sir?"

"Where exactly _is_ Miss Hopps at the moment?"

"I must apologize most sincerely, sir, but, sadly, I am not privy to that knowledge as of this moment. She is not at the PD - our Closed-Circuit Television coverage in that area witnessed her departure from there a while ago."

"And all the other officers are currently inside celebrating their success?"

"I believe so, sir."

The Lord of Zistopia nodded his head, thoughtfully. "So, the Officers of Precinct One are held up in a firefight against someone too valuable to kill... and the only officer available to answer Black's call for help...~"

His golden eyes sparkling, a wicked grin slowly split across the panther's muzzle, his perfect, pearly-white teeth glittering brightly in the light of the sun.

Sir Appleby nodded, slowly. "Shall I make the necessary call and put Operation Mincemeat into action?"

"Oh no, Appleby. I will make _that_ call... Myself."

The badger smiled. "Very good, sir. I estimate the probability of success to be in the high nighties of the percent."


	71. Drawstrings

The rays of pale moonlight filtered down through the small holes of the layer of thickening clouds above. The quiet parts of Zootopia - the back alleys and rooftops - were illuminated with the soft caress of the almost ethereal beams.

A figure stood upon a rooftop. A silver-gray car passed by beneath. With a flash of white fur, the figure threw itself across from the flat roof of the two story building, sailing cleanly through the air and landing lightly upon the next rooftop along.

The gray car continued its way down the streetlamp-lit, empty road. The white figure which lurked in the darkness above sprinting noiselessly across the rooftop. The edge approached. The next building along was far taller - far too tall to be able to jump to - but the silently-sprinting figure ran on regardless.

He dropped to all fours. The lean muscles in his overbearing figure bunched, and he threw himself across the empty space.

With a clang, his body made contact. Strong, white paws clamped down upon iron, and the figure swiftly scaled up the frame of an exterior fire escape. Practically ignoring the steppes, the figure heaved itself effortlessly and smoothly up the vertical climb.

It reached the roof of the six story building in seconds, and jogged across to the edge of the building, gazing down at the road beneath - the traffic lights of a crossroads - and the gray car stopped before them.

In his pocket, a device buzzed. Working swiftly while the lights were red, the pale figure pulled the phone from his pocket and pressed the big, green button he had been shown to press whenever the device buzzed as it did now.

'His' face appeared on the screen.

"Wulf. You are in pursuit of your intended, I trust?"

The albino wolf said nothing, but glanced down at the traffic light as it turned green beneath him - the car accelerating off down the road once again. The wolf made off to pursue.

"No, Wulf," He said, "hold where you are, I... _don't you_ _ **dare**_ _growl at me!_ "

All traces of insurrection instantly fled the wolf's now emotionless demeanor - his pale eyes fixing on the masterful and stern expression on His face.

"This pointless fleeing about the city is getting you nowhere. Go to the harbor; your target will arrive there shortly."

Turning, the wolf stepped towards the edge of the rooftop nearest the city port.

"She will be alone," He added. "The ZPD will not come in time to save her. Have your 'fun', as you will, but make no mistake... Judy Hopps _dies_ tonight. See to that, or by all that is holey, it will be the end of you - I _promise_ you that."

Slipping the phone back into his pocket, the wolf hunched back down onto all fours. He leaped down from the great height, and landed on the iron pole of a banner a little lower down.

He slipped down to be holding the metal pole with his paws while dangling down beneath it; then dropped down to the roof of a van beneath, sliding down the front of the vehicle, and softly, onto the floor.

"And remember, Wulf: you are bound by no laws in the act of destroying the rabbit, Judy Hopps - as per the instructions of Operation Mincemeat - but you may do no harm to the fox. There are no 'if's or 'but's. Even if it means your capture, or death, in result, no harm must come to him."

The phone beeped off, and the albino wolf slipped deftly onto all fours once more, his gallop taking him silently and swiftly through the streets of Zootopia. Unhindered, unseen, but any of its occupants.

...

"So how did you first meet Wilde, anyway?"

Jack glanced across to the female in the passenger seat beside him, handling the steering wheel of his silver, Agency-issue car as he continued towards Hopps' ZPD-issue safehouse.

He paused for a moment as he turned back to the road ahead; then spoke, softly: "When the MI-Z, the Ministry of Intelligence of Zootopia, brought me in to help bring down The Firm, they asked me to infiltrate their lines and get some idea of how they worked - not a lot was known about how they really worked back then - so I went undercover as a low-level Agent trying to get recognized, and let my information get leaked over to the other side.

I was contacted, eventually, by our 'good friend' Nick Wilde, and he arranged a meeting between us in the old Music Hall - the one that shut up shop just after The Firm went down. I met him there, and he told me he knew all about how much I wanted to be a 'real' Secret Agent and that no one was ever going to take me seriously if I didn't get commendations. So, I let him talk me into believing he could get me all the 'glowing reports' and recommendations I'd ever need to be Agent One."

"In return for information, I'm guessing?"

Jack sent a smooth smile towards her. "Right on. Of course, the MI-Z had to sacrifice some secrets to make it believable, but nothing too vital was ever leaked."

"But, what you're saying is... you were _already_ a top agent before that?

"I, erh - I wasn't quite Agent One back then, but hey, it's surprising what being the primary factor in bringing down a criminal supergiant'll do for your career. Plus, it looks just great on a CV."

"How long ago was this, then? How long had you been an Agent by that point?"

Jack allowed himself to believe it wasn't noticeable in the darkness, but Judy Hopps saw his troubled expression and suddenly uncomfortable demeanor regardless.

"Oh," he said, vaguely, "a little while, I suppose."

Hopps smiled, smugly. _Yeah right. It was at least eight years ago that happened; you would've been, like, twenty years old when you first met Nick; no way were you a 'top agent' that young._

"You know, Jack, it's wonderful hearing about your great successes. It's amazing how quickly the MI-Z saw your potential - you really must be an _amazing_ Agent."

"The _most_ amazing," Jack corrected, not-at-all humbly. "You know, my fitness instructor said he'd never seen an Agent with so much 'dexterity' and 'pliability' and... 'staying power'."

Jack turned to the female sat beside him with a smug grin - impressed with himself and pleased with how incredibly subtle and clever his innuendos were - and the female sat beside him looked back towards him with a playfully excited expression on her face (which she had put there to cover up the gagging she would otherwise be doing).

"Aw, you'll be alright sweet-lips," Jack said, slipping an arm loosely across her shoulders as turned back to the road, steering with one hand. "You'll be alright with me. I'll show you a better night tonight then that _fox_ ever could."

"I - I'm... _looking forward_ to it." If Jack hadn't been driving the car... the tranq dart Judy's paw was currently clutched around would be being rammed again and again in to the jackrabbit's arm ~

...

The Officers of the ZPD gathered swiftly in the Bull Pen. With movement and chatter, they fiddled hurriedly with adjusting their straps and their helmets - not having time to armor up with the perfection Bogo usually expected from them.

No one was checking with the same level of concern as they had before; there was no time for a proper briefing or for a perfect and adaptable plan to be made out. The officers had dressed with lighter armor before, knowing that putting the full kit on would sacrifice too much time; one fox in particular had armored only in light body armor and knee pads, deciding that dexterity awareness of his surroundings would do him much better then being deafened and blinded by a helmet and heavy armor.

The officers prepared in an unorganized squabble of borderline panic, with Chief Bogo stood at the front, calling out orders and advice whenever he was able; trying to get his mammals as ready as possible in the moments they had.

"The van will be fueled up and ready to leave in _**one minute**_ **!** " Bogo called. "I want everyone ready to move in _**two**_ **!** Wilde: here."

The fox hurried over to the buffalo's side, ducking and weaving through the swinging arms and legs of the others. "Yes Chief," he said, his gaze flighty and distracted.

"I'm calling Hopps. I know technically she's off duty, but I want both you and her to see this."

"But - but sir, she has no armor!"

"Neither you nor Hopps will be engaging in direct combat - hence why I'm allowing _you_ to leave here so lightly armored. The point is, with no time to plan things properly, the troops tonight are going to need more copious and direct management. That's something I cannot do on my own."

Nick's flighty gaze fixed on Bogo - the buffalo turning away to shout at another officer about the looseness one of his straps.

After a moment, Nick's stuttered response borough Bogo's attention back. "You... want Hopps to take charge of a division of cops?"

"Hopps _and_ you, yes."

"Me!? What about-"

" _Legally_ ," Bogo muttered, through gritted teeth, under his breath, "I am _obliged_ to investigate your motives for what you've done tonight and your possible 'connections' outside of this even. _Personally,_ " he added, his voice dropping quieter still, "I don't _care_ if you used to be criminally connected, you're a damn good officer now. And it'll be a sad day for everyone if I'm ever forced to kick you out."

Wilde starred at his chief of police. Bogo stood upright, and patted the fox lightly on the back.

"Back to it, Wilde," he said, fiercely, "I'll get on the radio to Hopps and have her meet us there."

Nick stumbled, disorientated, back into the mass of hurriedly dressing mammals; Bogo pulled up his police radio, and spoke demandingly into the receiver. "Clawhauser, get me Hopps!"

...

"Oh- _yes Chief!_ " the cheetah said hurriedly, reaching across his desk to press the respond button on the intercom.

Catching his breath a little, Clawhauser, slid his chair closer to the intercom system and he fiddled, for a moment, with a few of the buttons.

"Hey, Hopps," he said, his voice clear and professional. "Are you receiving me?"

"Hiya, Ben," Hopps replied a moment later. "I'm receiving you."

"Erh, I'm sorry to ask you this," he replied, his capacity for 'professionalism' already drained away. "- I know you've left work for the day - but Chief Bogo wants a word. Think you could speak with him?"

"Sure! Does he sound... 'happy'?"

"Merh~ I don't know if 'happy' is the word. He's not angry, exactly, but apparently the drug runners are back in town; he's marshaling all the officers back for an emergency raid."

"Okay, he probably wants me there too. Thank Ben!"

"Oh. No, erh..." Clawhauser trailed off from his sentence - distracted, for a moment, by the figure of a goat who entered into the ZPD through the front door and started pacing towards him. "Erm... no problem, Hopps," he finished, quickly. "Just putting you through now."

Moving away from the receiver, Clawhauser pulled his officer chair back to the front of the desk, turning with a smile towards the billy goat who approached. "Evening," he said, cheerfully, "can I help you, sir?"

"Erm... yes. Yes." The goat's voice was slow, his voice breaking a little as he spoke with an Eastern-European accent. "Tell me, are... are the officers of the ZPD... 'here' right now?"

"Um - _yeah._ They'll be leaving shortly, though, so if you need help you'll have to tell me quick."

The cheetah looked carefully at the goat. Something about his expression - about his demeanor - was 'off'. His gaze traced along the line of his body, Clawhausers's brow furrowing with suspicious concern as the goat's gaze fell and he muttered to himself:

"I can't do it. You ask too much."

The cheetah reached for an object attached to the underside of his desk. Out of range of his hearing - inside the ear of the elderly goat - a sharp voice spoke out through an electronic device:

"Then _all_ of your family will die. Your daughters, your son, your wife. I shall torturer them each until they _beg_ for the mercy of death, and then I shall dump them deep in the desert, to breath their final breaths in the burning heat of the sun!"

With a scream of anguish, the elderly professor pulled a piece of silver from his pocket. His vision blurred with tears; his aim clumsy and frantic, he pulled the trigger of the device.

Clawhauser threw himself down under his desk and mashed the Emergency Alarm button beneath it.

The Police department exploded into lights and noise. In the Bull Pen, the officers froze at the sound.

Panic taking him, realizing there were only a few things _that_ alarm could mean, Bogo tore the radio form off his chest, pulling the plastic holder which was supposed to remain attached to his armor with it; shouting: " _ **Clawhauser,**_ _what is it? What's going on!?"_

Seconds went by of burning silence. The gathered officers stood in silence, watching their chief; waiting for the response.

"... _ **Clawhauser!**_ "

Another gunshot echoed down from the reception. Bogo hurled his radio to the floor, breaking it against the surface; turning with furious determination and pointing towards the door.

" _Everyone_ , on _me!"_

...

Seconds later, the door burst open, a wall of fuming cape buffalo stormed out. The Bull Pen was only a short walk down from the reception, and the assembled mass of officers quickly closed on that location.

Without a word, Bogo signaled for the officers to stop just short of the door. With another signal, he had all of them line up behind him, against the wall closest to where the danger zone would be.

With as much delicacy as handling a live bomb, Chief Bogo's hand touched upon the door. He pushed it open the tiniest crack.

He paused, and glanced to Snarlov stood just over his shoulder. "Run down; get me a riot shield from XXX."

She saluted, and made off down the corridor at a jog.

Stepping back towards the door, Bogo pushed it open a tentative inch more. "Clawhauser," he said, carefully, to the silence, "are you in there?"

After a long moment of breathless silence a - somewhat shook - but otherwise unpainted voice called back: "Still here, Chief."

"Stay back," a frightened voice called out; "stay away! I don't want to shoot anybody, but I will if I have to."

"Claw, what's going on in there?"

"It's - _urh!_ \- I think I'm being held hostage, sir. I'm not sure you should try to come in. He's armed, and he looks very scarred."

Bogo bit on his lip as he thought. Edging the door open a crack more, his head peeked out from around the corner.

A figure yelped with fear from somewhere within, and a bullet ricochet of the wall close to Bogo's head. He puled away sharply, shouting to himself: "God _damn_ _it!_ Damn filthy drug runners, I _knew_ they were too smart. We don't have time for this," he added, pulling out his radio. "Hopps, come in. Are you still there?"

"Still here," Judy replied.

"Sir, what are you _doing_ ," Nick cut in, guessing what Bogo was planning to do. "You can't send her in there _alone_!"

"We _must_ find out where these drugs are coming form, Wilde," he snapped. "That is the _only_ way of us stopping these drug runners once and for all."

"But sir-"

"Enough! Wilde. She's not on her own, I have a... 'friend' of mine with her."

Grimacing, Nick turned from the chief and started pacing, fiercely, down the corridor.

"Chief Bogo? Are you still there?"

With a grunt, Bogo turned back to the radio. "Hopps."

"Sir, what happened, you cut out for a minute?"

"That's not important right now, Hopps. We've ran into a complication here and we can no longer meet you at the rendezvous."

"Understood."

"I want you to sneak in there - _don't get spotted -_ and find out what you can."

"You want me to sneak in?" Hopps said, concernedly. "Will I get any backup?"

Bogo sighed. "I'm sorry, Hopps, but that's not possible at the moment. I know what a careful officer you are. Just stay well clear of any activity - find out what you can by _observation_ only; I'm sure you'll be fine."

"Understood, Chief. I'll see what I can do."

 _'Friend of mine'_ Nick spat, slipping away from the others; unnoticed due to the focus they were holding on the standoff. _You can't trust that stripped bastard. I gotta get to Judy. I gotta get outta here._

His first thought being he'd simply leave, it dawned on the fox he couldn't just abandon Bogo and Clawhauser and the rest. _Besides_ , he added, _what use am I gonna be on my own?_

Circling swiftly round the empty corridors, listening to the distant echos of Bogo's voice as he called out to the goat or the cheetah, Nick speeded his way around to the other side of the reception.

Edging the door open a little, the red fox gazed out at the expansive reception area. In the center desk, Clawhauser was sat, unable to move, in his office chair with his arms and feet tucked up beside him.

Stood before the desk - waving a shaking handgun between the  
, with blind panic written across his face - was an elderly billy goat. Nick recognized him. Nyilas.

"Sir," Nick said, pulling on his radio. "Sir, pick up."

"Wh- Wilde?" Bogo replied, startled. "But, you were _just_ here?"

"Right, anyway: that goat, it's _Nyilas_."

Bogo brooded for a moment. "Victor Nyilas?"

"Yeah. I think I can creep up behind him. He'll be too focused on you to notice me."

"No, too risky Wilde. Get back here and ~"

The line went dead. A moment later, Bogo's voice was, again, heard - but not from the radio this time, but from the other side of the reception.

"Nyilas," he called out; Nick saw the goat jump at hearing his name. "Victor Nyilas, I am Chief Bogo. There's no need to be afraid - we can talk through this."

"I - eyh... _stay back_ ," he called out, waving his gun in the direction of the door.

"I'm going to come out in a moment, Nyilas," Bogo said. "I'm going to come out and we're going to talk about this like civilized mammals."

The door edged slowly open. His body shrinking back through fear, Nyilas called out weak warnings to the Chief. The door kept swinging open, and then the figure of Chief Bogo stepped out.

His eyes shutting tight, the goat fired twice in the Chief's direction. The first hit the wall, but the second bounced off the surface of the riot shield Snarlov had fetched him.

The Chief passed a little further into the room - carefully keeping the shield between him and the goat - and paused half way between the goat and the door he entered in from.

"Now," he said, "I'm going to stay right here. I'm not going to come in any further... so how about you put down that gun of yours."

"No, I... you don't understand, I _can't!_ "

Bogo's voice dropped to a harsh whisper, and his finger subtly pressed upon the button on his radio. "Wilde?"

"Sir?"

"Move in _now_."

"Sir."

The goat's attention fully on the buffalo, Nick pushed the door open a little more and slipped inside.

The air was hot with fear and tension; it made his neck itch and his belly ache. He stepped forwards - one slow, soft step after another - closer and closer to the goat. Nick came within five feet of him... four... three... two-

Nyilas span. Clawhauser stumbled to the floor, Bogo froze and Nick came face to face...

...with _Scarlett's_ gun.

Nyilas' paw shook as his finger edged down on the trigger. He winced, and his breath tremmered as his voice shuddered from him: "Dear God, forgive me."

Nick's body was frozen. Swearing, Bogo threw away his shield and bolted across to the goat, trying to reach him - too late - before...

Nyilas pulled the trigger.

A body dropped dead to the floor.

...

The patience of Saint Burnard's Hospital slept soundly in their beds. The air was still busy with the comings and goings of nurses and doctors, and the whirring and beeping of machines still surrounded the white halls and white corridors of the building - but it was still quieter now than it had been.

A beige-gray timber wolf lay alone in a solitary, white room. He lay still on his back, his eyes, had they been open, gazing up at the ceiling. The door clicked open. An ear twitched, but the impact of the sound was lost to the continual background buzz of the hospital.

A figure stood motionless in the doorway, silently watching the apparently sleeping wolf. Raising a padless paw to her mouth, the white-coated figure cleared her throat, undemandingly.

Wolfard's eyes flicked open. His head inclined, and his eyes locked with those of the tall hare watching him. Trying, quickly, to find something to say, the wolf pulled himself more upright in his bed.

Stepping a little further into the room, Nurse Flo took a sharp intake of breath, let it out slowly, and allowed the door to close, with a click, behind her.

...

In another part of the city, a sleek, gray car pulled to a halt on the boarder of the city docks. It's occupants - the two rabbits - gazing and the foreboding and moody darkness within.

Jack turned to Judy. "You ready for this?"

Judy nodded. "I'm _always_ ready."

* * *

 _How neatly the Drawstrings pull together...  
how neat; how tight - like the rope of a noose._

There will be a delay for the next chapter. I'm going, with Physics, to the Large Hadron Collider. In the meantime, leave a review telling me how you hope the next chapter will go. It won't make a difference to the plot, but it's nice to have dreams (just don't believe in them too much).


	72. The Demon in White (M)

Please be advised that this chapter contains content which is unsuitable for younger viewers - it is **_M rated._** The mature content is throughout the entirety of this chapter, though, for the convenience of those who do not wish to view this material, I have placed three stars (***) at the point where I judge it to start getting especially 'serious'.

Sorry for the delay. In my defense, this is the climax, was exhausting to write, and is now the largest chapter of the story so far - the length of approximately 3.71 chapters combined.

* * *

Wolfard pulled himself upright in the bed, surprised he had ever seen the white-coated hare in the doorway again. He sought in his mind for something to say, but came back blank, and decided it would be better just to wait and see for what reason Flo had come back.

Stepping a little further into the room, Nurse Flo allowed the door to close, shutting with a click behind her. The tall hare took a sharp intake of breath, and let it drift out of her slowly.

There was an extended moment of silence - Flo just standing there, her face still as stone, as she starred at the wolf. Wolfard licked his lips uneasily, the tensile urge to find something to say growing in the silence.

"Food," Flo said suddenly, loud enough to make the wolf flinch. "I mean," she added, her voice now too quiet, "I brought - I brought food."

Wolfard squinted. The hare cleared her throat uneasily, took her arms back form behind her back and held out a battered sandwich, wrapped in cling film, towards him.

"Oh," Wolfard said, holding out a paw carefully and taking the warm package. "Well, thank you," he said - grateful, but a little too surprised to be sure how to show it yet.

The rabbit sucked in another lungful of air at his comment and clasped her paws behind her back, pacing further into the room to examine a chart of numbers on the wall - like she was trying to make it look like she was here to look at that rather than see the wolf.

"This looks delicious," she head him say.

"And I thought _I_ was the sarcastic one," Flo said.

"I'm not being sarcastic," he corrected. "Compared with that soggy mush you showed me before, this _is_ delicious."

Her gaze lowering as she looked at the wall, a small smile grew on the female's face. She allowed herself a small amount of pride as she heard the wolf unwrapping the food, waited just a moment longer, and then said, without turning: "Half of that's mine."

Wolfard reacted like he'd been slapped, his glance darted between the food in his paws and the hare. "Th - this is your lunch?"

"Yepp. I have the night shift. Hares are normally nocturnal anyway."

"Flo, I-" A part of himself interrupted him. His first reaction had been to refuse, saying he couldn't take food away from her like that, but a part of him had grown to understand, just a little, how she worked. _She's too direct for that_ , that part told him. _You say no; she'll say 'Okay', take the sandwich and leave again before you can say anything else._

"I... thank you," he said, at last, feeling like he'd just averted another disaster.

Flo turned to him over his shoulder. She smiled, as she noted his thankful expression. "Well," she said easily, pacing to a health-information poster on another wall, "you hardly touched your main meal. As your designated carer, I couldn't just let you starve all night."

Wolfard took one half of the sandwich from the cling film, holding out the still half-wrapped piece of half-sandwich to the hare. She turned and looked on for a moment, and then stepped forwards and took it, looking down to Wolfard as he shuffled sideways, moving towards the edge of the bed.

The wolf didn't voice his invitation for her to lay down beside him - not wanting her to 'think' about it and feel awkward - but simply lay there quietly eating his food (his muzzle splitting to a grin he couldn't control as he felt the weight of the hare moving the bed beneath him).

The two of them lay beside each other quietly for a minute - Wolfard still under the sheets; Flo lying on top - both sat up against the head of the bed. The hare took another mouthful of what remind of her sandwich, and then she turned to the wolf, a brow raised. "Tell me Jim, when was the last time you had sex?"

Wolfard's head shot around towards her, some of the contents of his sandwich falling from the bred onto the sheets.

There was a lot about that question which surprised the wolf, and he wasn't exactly sure which one to mention first. Too startled by the mention of his name and the nature of the question to really do anything, he just answered, openly.

"About six months ago?"

She smiled, playfully. "And she hasn't let you 'fool around' since?"

"Woa, wait. How the heck d'you know my name?"

"I am your legally designated carer for tonight. It is not, in fact, illegal for me to look at your file, you know."

"Bh-but - _that_ 's not playing fair!"

Flo adjusted her glasses, derisively. "I never said I was playing at all... Jim."

"Come on, Flo, you gotta tell me your name now."

"I 'gotta' do nothing of the kind - it's entirely of my own choosing. Perhaps," she added, after taking a slow and thoughtful bight into her sandwich, "if you answer a few of my questions, I'll answer yours."

"Okay, shoot."

"Tell me: are you still seeing this person with whom you shared your body about six months ago?"

He gazed at her, mutely. With any other female, it would've been obvious why she was asking, but with Flo, Jim had learned, he could never take anything for granted.

"Or did your relationship suffer an untimely end?"

"It wasn't - we weren't... we're just friends. We were both single; she wanted some help getting through the mating season. She has an 'other mammal' helping her out now."

Flo nodded. She would've noticed the bitterness in his tone of voice as he mentioned the 'other mammal' (if she had not been blind to expressions and tones of voice). "So," she asked, turning back towards him, "is once every six months normal?"

"Well you're the nurse. You tell me."

"That's down to the individual," she said, gazing up at the ceiling. "It's like a lot of other things, really - if you get a lot of it, then don't, you body feels it has a deficit; if you're not used to getting your end away often, you won't feel frustration so much when you haven't been getting any."

"I don't know. I guess it is, but ~" Wolfard sighed. He couldn't just sit there - not with Flo literally lying on the bed beside him. He had to ask. "Why are you asking this, anyway?"

Slowly, the hare turned her head towards him. "Isn't it obvious?"

He chuckled, softly. "Never, with you around." As he looked into her eyes, the wolf could feel the blood in his heart pumping hotter and faster, and he felt himself being somehow drawn in by her scent and her features.

It was all so new to him, all of this - the very idea that predator and prey could be together at all seemed so bizarre, so strange; yet so _right_ at the same time. He would never have even considered the idea, had he not found out abut Nick and Judy's status earlier.

"Clearly," Flo said, evenly, "I'm trying to uncover if your 'prior state' was simply because of sexual frustration, or if it is evidence to a medical disorder."

"Oh, I erh~ " Wolfard pulled himself together quickly. "Clearly. Of course."

"I specialized in reproduction. Well - tried to, anyway."

"What do you mean, 'tried to'?"

Flo said nothing.

Wolfard waited for a few moments - then said, uneasily. "Well... thank you for your concern Nurse... Nurse Flo."

"Indeed."

Clearing his throat, Wolfard scratched at his collar. "Well, erm... I answered _your_ questions, so..."

"Oh, very well," she muttered. "If it's really that important to you, my first name _happens_ to be Rose."

Jim inclined his head towards her. "Rose?"

"Nurse Roseline Flo. If you have to use my full name, say Roseline - Rose Flo just sounds weird."

"Rose," he said again. "That's a lovely name."

Clearing her throat, Flo adjusted her coat sleeve.

"Like a pwitty, pwitty flower."

Turning sharply, Flo's gaze smoldered at the wolf for a few long seconds. She brightened a little, inclined her head towards him and said: "Do you have any idea, Jim, how many pressure points there are on the male anatomy where a truly _astounding_ amount of pain can be instilled; yet without leaving _any_ physical damage?"

"Errh. No?"

She smiled. "I do."

The wolf licked his dry lips. _Yeah... maybe getting Flo's affections isn't such a great idea ~_

...

Jack Savage sat back coolly into the upholstery of his driver's-side chair. He turned to the attractive female sat beside him, his paws slipping behind his head as he said: "You know, it'll be pretty dangerous for a young hick like you to go in there."

"I can handle myself," Judy shot, though without being able to draw her gaze away from the ominous veil of shadow which encased the unlit confines of the Zootopia harbor.

Following her gaze, the striped rabbit looked out into the darkness likewise.

The entrance way was blocked by a tall, wide piece of wire mesh fencing, flanked either side by the old brickwork of two, large buildings. Through the wire fence, little could be seen, as the light quickly faded away; replaced by the shadows of the massive shipping containers within.

There was no noise or motion; the large cranes which could be seen as a dark shape on the horizon were unmoving. There was no telling what lay within... except ~

Jack chuckled at the female's nervous expression (though she tried to hide it). "If only," he continued, "you happened to know some sort of 'secret agent' fella who had access to all the latest spyware technology."

Leaning forwards, Jack fiddled with the dials on his radio as he had before, and it flipped back to reveal a LCD display. Judy watched with interest as he fiddled with the device, and looked up with surprise as the figures of mammals appeared on the green-scale display - their body heats illuminating orange and red.

Savage gave her a sideways glance - _the chicks always digged the tech._ He turned back to his dials. "Okay," he said, "looks like there's about thirty of them on the ground, though there's probability more on the inside. Looks like they're more-or-less ready to start packing up."

Reaching for another dial, the MI-Z Agent adjusted the exposure. "Most of them are carrying small arms - about a dozen pistols all together, can't see any SMGs or - _oh_ , nope, there is one: some kind of assault rifle by the looks of it. Alright," he added after a moment, leaning back from the screen and pulling Judy's radio off her belt, "let's give 'em what we know."

"Bogo? This is Savage here. I have Intel on the situation down at the docks, please come in."

Jack took his thumb off the radio call button. He waited a few moments, but there was only faint white noise in response.

"Chief Bogo, please come in." Again, a pause. "Chief, these guys aren't gonna be hanging around much longer. They're packing their things onto their boat as I speak. Chief? Bogo?"

He adjusted the knob, tension growing in his voice. "Clawhauser, you don't know me, but if you're there, please respond. Come in!"

Jack hissed a swearword, dropping the radio back onto Judy's lap. "No response," he muttered. "Damn, what the heck's going on down there?"

"What do we do?" Judy said - not accepting Jack as being in command, exactly, but aware he was 'officially' still in charge.

Jack gazed at the screen, grimacing. After a moment's thought, he turned with sudden energy and routed around for something in the footwell behind him. He pulled back a moment later with a black box in paw, and opened it up against his lap, pulling out something which looked like a small, boxy gun.

"If the PD don't get here soon," he said, "that boat's gonna leave the port - we might be able to intercept with a heli, but we still risk loosing it. We take a shot at it with this thing," he said, loading device, "it'll attach a tracking device to it our satellite will be able to pick up no matter where they go."

With a sigh she kept softly to herself, Judy turned back to the darkness. She wondered what Wilde would think of her going in there without him; with only Jack to watch her back. It had been barely an hour, and it surprised the rabbit just how much she was already missing her fox. This was, after all, the first time they'd really been separated since their lunch at the cafe - before how they felt for each other had become clear - back to what felt like a million years ago, but was really just five days.

Judy turned back to the jackrabbit and he pushed open the car door and stepped outside, sighing to herself under her breath: "Nick, I hope you can forgive me," before undoing her belt and stepping out as well.

She stepped from the warmth to the cold tarmac below, jogging silently to catch up with Savage as he approached the edge of the gate, track-gun in paw, taking cover against the rough wall.

Hopps took cover beside him, her ears on high alert, the smell of salt and rust in the air as the striped rabbit peered out from around the edge of the solid wall of the large building; into the darkness of the city harbor.

"We're just going in there to attach a tracker, right?" Judy said, her voice a hush.

He glanced back towards her, his expression now firm and serious. He nodded, holstered the gun, and made a swift number of signals with his paw. Hopps nodded, and then the two of them stepped out from around the corner, crossing quickly up to the edge of the gait where Judy knelt and held out her paws towards the ground - Jack arriving half a beat later, stepping onto her paw and leaping into the air as she lifted him up.

He sailed upwards, and grabbed the top of the fence as he reached his highest point.

The whole fence shook, and Jack's body tensed instinctively as his balance was compromised, his eyes shooting wide. He clung tight. The fence stilled. Glancing back into the darkness - hoping no one was close enough to have heard the rattling - Jack shifted his weight on the metal bar he was clung to.

Gripping tight with his feet, knees and one arm, he turned back to the city side of the fence and down to the female waiting below.

His knuckles whitening, he stretched down towards her. Judy's legs bunched. She crouched herself low, and launched herself into the air, catching hold of Jack's paw and gripping tight, digging her free paw and toes into the mesh of the fence as the male heaved her up.

A moment later, two rabbits landed on the harbor side of the fence - though there was no waiting around, as the two of them swiftly scurried from the opening for the cover of the crates nearby.

They paused for a moment, pressing themselves against the cold metal of one of the shipping containers. Jack glanced around himself; Judy's cheeks inflated as she pushed a breath of nervous tension from herself.

Jack glanced to her, a small smile in place. "Nervous?"

Hopps' gaze turned to Savage as he went back to glancing about, a mixture of emotions and 'characters' blocking her from knowing how to respond. She told herself she should carry on the 'act' of the naive hick, but she also know to behave 'naively' in situations such as this could be fatal.

"I," she said, a few beats later... "I'm not sure. I'm not sure how to react - I'm not used to this."

Jack chuckled softly, assuming she was talking about their going behind enemy lines. "Not enough visibility down here," he muttered to himself, glancing up at the container. "Gotta get higher. Take this; put it in your pocket."

Judy found herself with the track gun in her paws. She turned with surprise to the jackrabbit beside her as he jumped up for a three-bar ladder ascending the side of the tall crate. She watched him carefully as he climbed, holstering the tracker in her pocket and reaching up her paws as he turned and reached down towards her.

While Judy's feelings for the rabbit were ' _mixed_ ' to say the least, she knew from experience how important it was you could trust your partner. She knew and accepted she had to trust this mammal as though he were a brother, and pushed all mistrust and adverseness from her as she took Jack's paw, allowing him to pull her up off the ground and to the first of the high steps.

Like frogs leaping up stairs, the two rabbits climbed the three-bar ladder intended for mammals more than twice there size.

They climbed up onto the top of the crate, hunched low to the metal so their silhouettes weren't visible upon the skyline. Sitting up on his front, Jack gazed about at the darkness and fog which had risen up from the lake.

"There," he said, his voice barely a whisper, pointing down towards lights a little way off, and the shape of the massive tanker vessel which could only just be seen as a dark gray outline in the blackness of the surrounding waters.

"What's the range on this thing?" Judy said, a paw touching upon the tracking device gun.

"Not a lot - less then a mile."

Judy sighed. "If one of us makes a distraction-?"

"Too risky, we don't know what kind of coverage they have on the area."

"Not as risky walking right up to them."

Jack glanced to Judy, a brow raising with interest. He wondered, for a moment, if there was more to this rabbit than he had first thought - but now was not the time to think about it, and he refocused himself on his work.

"We can use the crates for cover - look." Moving close beside the rabbit, he directed her gaze down the length of his arm towards complex of large crates which encircled the whole of the clearing.

"If one of us made a distraction without knowing exactly where there guards are posted, we'd run the risk of getting pounced on by a sentry. But if we're quiet, and keep to the shadows, we could pass a guard by at ten feet away and he'd be none the wiser."

Hopps nodded, glancing to Jack.

Pulling himself away from the edge of the create he raised himself onto paws and knees, gazing down at the drop to the first of the metal bars down; gauging the distance of the fall.

His shape appeared on the horizon. From affair, a figure watched them, his nostrils fairing steam as a Jack jumped down to the first step and a second shape appeared on the skyline - her sweet, appetizing sent carrying on the crisp sea air.

...

"So, just to confirm, we have come to the conclusion that your physically excited state earlier was, indeed, caused by sexual frustration and 'not' a medical condition?"

The wolf spoke without thinking. "Yeah."

The hare raised a thin brow. "Sexual frustration caused by _me_."

He stuttered, but managed to control himself from spluttering, turning to the rabbit with a startled expression. He starred at her, carefully, and eventually, risked the question: "That food you brought me - the over boiled mush of before?"

"Yes?"

"Is it 'normal' for a nurse of your training to hand out the nightly meals?"

Smiling smugly, Flo shrugged her shoulders. "Is it normal for the effects of combat-related adrenaline to still be in effect enough to make someones paws shake almost an hour after the combat's over?"

Ignorant to expressions though she was, Flo would've had to have been medically blind not to have caught on to the disbelieving scowl the wolf sent her way, shaking his head slowly.

"Don't evade the question. I've had plenty of training in interrogation, so stop trying to deceive me."

Her smug smile faded.

"Is it ' _normal_ ' for you to keep bringing up my relationship status? And to keep finding 'reasons' to come in here and see me?"

Drawing in a long, slow breath, the hare tiled her head upwards and gazed up at the ceiling.

"And is it _'normal'_ for you to keep bringing up reproduction and talking about my-"

"Alright, look, I'm - I'm not a..." Flo sighed, but it came out more like a low growl. "I'm not breaking any rules here," she said, evenly, "but, yes, you are correct in your statements - it isn't usual for me to deliver food, we've just been busy lately and-"

Again, the wolf's expression remained firm and disbelieving.

Flo huffed. "Then why did I come down here!?"

"Because you wanted to see me - you want my attention; my company."

The hare's expression slowly faded into a natural, impassive stair as the wolf spoke.

"That's the reason you brought the food up - you wanted an excuse to see to me; you don't have it in you to just say 'I like you, I want to spend time with you', you feel like you have to hide it behind excuses and torments.

"You weren't really worried about the medical health of my - well, my...; you were just using that as a reason to try and get me excited, trying to think about you in that way. I know I'm assuming a lot of things here," he continued, his voice hot with as much panic as he heard what he was saying as accusation, "I know I've probably just overthought everything and you're sitting there wondering what the heck I'm on about, but to me it feels like _\- I don't know -_ it feels like you're trying to tell me something you can't bring yourself to say; something you're to afraid too voice; too caught up-"

"Stop. Please."

Wolfard's deluge stopped dead; his brow lowered at the soft and almost pained tones of her voice - very different from the smug and sarcastic tones of before.

"You're right, I can't say... I..."

"Help me to understand. I'm here for you."

Flo glanced to him, her shoulders raising and lowering in a slow sigh. "I don't want your pity," she said, sharply. "And I'm not a whore - that's _not_ the reason I kept asking about it."

Jim bit his lip softly, making no reply but waiting patently.

"All I have-" She cut herself off, and her lips formed what appeared to be a number of curse words; then she slipped down onto her back, her gaze fixed straight ahead at one of the bright lights above. "All I have waiting for me back home is an empty apartment. The room will be dark, the air will be cold. I'll put the lights on, turn on the oven, eat alone and go to bed.

"I haven't had a conversation with someone in months. That probably sounds crazy, but aside from work stuff and meaningless smalltalk with the other nurses, I really haven't talked to anyone. No one can bare to stick around me long - they're put off by my attitude and sarcasm - but... _you_."

Her brow raising, the hare's head tiled towards the wolf, thoughtfully. "For whatever reason, you don't seem to mind it."

The wolf couldn't trust himself to believe it was actually happening, but Flo's paw moved beneath his wrist. It turned, and the hare's small fingers interlinked with the his.

"It's just nice to have some company... for _once_."

Hes gaze moved back up to her face and the white hare turned quickly away - avoiding eye contact to such an extent that she was close to putting a crick in her neck.

Reaching out softly - not saying a word - the wolf placed his paw, as delicately as he could, on the hare's cheek and started turning her to face him.

"No," she said, her voice soft but firm as she pulled his hand away. She kept the paw which was interlinked with his where it was, however - her fingers tightening as she spoke. "I wake up alone, I eat alone, I spend my evenings alone, I ~"

Her gaze lowering, she cleared her throat, softly. "I... sleep alone. I mean, it's not the sex," she added in a mutter, mostly to herself, "it's just the fact there's no one there, you know? I don't need a 'physical relationship' to be happy, I just wish, sometimes, that I had a... little...~"

The white-coated hare trailed off, her voice coming to a halt as her nerves failed her - unable to use her sarcasm for cover as she tried to say what she wanted to say.

Wolfard guessed what it was she was trying to say, and sweetly did what he could to show the hare he could be there to provide that, pulling his paw away from hers, and gently - so very carefully - wrapping his arms around the proud hare's shoulders.

"A little bit of warmth? A little bit of a shoulder to lean on?"

Beneath his arms, the wolf felt the hare freeze up - just as she had done every time before when he'd encouraged her to confront her feelings. The wolf pushed on, trying to make his voice as soft and kind as possible; trying to sooth her through accepting how he hoped _so much_ she felt - something which was obviously hard for her to come to terms with.

"You're an amazing person, Flo - strong, independent, intelligent - but, and I don't mean anything bad by this, even the strongest of us need someone to cry to once in a while."

"I-"

"You can't keep feeling like you have something to prove. You can't keep fighting what you want. Let me in, Rose. Let me help you heal these wounds."

The white-coated hare turned to the wolf slowly, her intelligent, blue eyes looking questioningly into Wolfard's browns.

His gaze flicking between her eyes and her lips, Jim prepared. He reminded himself that this was all or nothing - that this was his last chance - and pushed his lips up against hers.

Flo recoiled sharply, her paw tugging away from his and her eyes shooting wide. "Wolf, that - that was disgusting, Wolfard," she shot, wiping her mouth with her arm. "What in all of Zoophon possessed you to even think of-"

"I'm sorry, Flo! I'm sorry, I just got a little _-_ ~"

The wolf's final word was muffled as the adrenaline of his kiss finally reached the hare's brain and pushed all fear and anxiety out of her - and as she pushed herself upon him, her lips pushing against his in a long kiss.

It was a slow and gentle kiss, with nothing extravagant and no mad passion. The pleasure and surprise of the kiss mixed in the wolf's mind - the hare's white, delicate paw touching upon the side of his muzzle.

Flo didn't know what had driven her to do what she'd done, but that didn't stop her from allowing herself to enjoy it. She pulled back from the kiss and looked down at the wolf, observably. It didn't take much thought to figure out his reaction, as he lay stunned on his back, his arms limply by his sides and his expression dazed.

His eyes had just managed to re-find the hare's, and the start of grin had just started forming on his astounded expression, when the lips of the hare came down a second time - pushing against his lips much firmer than before; her arms locking tight around his neck; kissing him like she'd _never_ kissed before.

In his heart of hearts, the wolf knew - _she hadn't._

...

Soon after, the rabbits had crossed some of the distance between them and the boat. The collection of crates which they walked through felt more like a labyrinth then a harbor - great corridors of massive containers, towering high above the heads of the small mammals.

It was almost pitch black, for the shadows of the crates around them, and the concrete ground was damp beneath their feet. The air was completely stilled by the walls of crates around them, except for when they came to a crossroads in the lay of the crates, whereupon the wind rushed and howled towards them most fiercely.

At one of these crossroads, as every one before, Jack paused for a moment as the paths crossed, glancing up and down the path as he hid in the shadow of the crate, checking both ways before darting across to the next.

This time, however, when it came for Judy to dart after him something - a vague instinct - made her stop. She sniffed the air, her body still and her ears listening intently for the tiniest of sounds, waiting with baited breath in the shadow.

Without warning a dark shape, a thin dog, dropped down in front of her. The dog didn't see her, but Jack didn't see the dog. Judy saw them both, however, and saw the glint of dark metal as the assailing mammal pulled out a handgun.

Her eyes widening with shock as the gun came to bare, she darted towards it, pulling out her handgun - the fake handgun, the copy of Scarlett's - and grabbing the dog by the paw.

She slammed it against the metal wall. Jack spun. The dog struggled to aim his pined gun towards her, but froze as the muzzle of a hefty, silver gun came pressing up against his neck - the iron gaze of the rabbit perfectly steady as it bore into him.

He dropped the gun. Slowly, the dog's raised his paws and placed them upon his head.

"Jack," Hopps said, softly, her gaze fixed on the dog. "Take him out."

The shock took a moment to ware off, but then the striped rabbit nodded towards Judy. He lept up to above the skinny dog's head height, kicked himself off the side of one of the crates, and landed both feet upon the back of the mammal's head as he hurtled through the air.

Judy caught the unconscious body as it fell, lowering it noiselessly to the ground.

"Want me to kill him?" Jack said, reaching down and taking the dog's gun.

Judy froze, her gaze fixed on the dog as she held him. She turned up slowly to Jack, fear and surprise in her eyes. "No!" she shouted, in a whisper.

"Not with this," he said quickly, thinking it was the noise of the gun that worried her.

"No - no, there's no need to kill him."

"There's every need, Hopps. I'll let him live, if you're that against it, but that only gives us a few minutes before he wakes up."

Hopps glanced back down to the unconscious mammal. She sighed, and lowered his head down onto the concrete. "Let's go," she said, standing and making towards Jack.

He nodded, and turned back towards the boat, glancing over the dog's gun. "Cheap piece of junk," he muttered.

"No good?"

"Think a medieval farmer armed with a pitchfork. It'll kill - it's better than nothing. There's no serial number, and the barrel's been made with a 3D printer - looks like the receiver has too."

They advanced a little way more, through the corridor of crates. Jack thought on what Judy had said, and his shoulders slumped, muttering quietly to the rabbit beside him: "I'm not being cruel, Judy - I don't kill for pleasure. The ZPD changes. Policing Zootopia was a _very_ different game when I was being trained. Back then no one gave a crap how many crooks you killed, just so long as you got the job done. Nowadays, if so much as one accidental death it demands a damn full-blown investigation. It was a heck of a lot simpler back in my day - bunch of fuckups."

"The PD?"

"Lionheart, Admin Tower, United Nations - and the rest of them. It's all very different now. Back in my day," he added, flatly, "the training I got wouldn't been much different from the training Wilde got with The Firm. We both wanted control of the city - it's just one side was selfish; the other selfless."

Judy followed in silent thought. Just enough time had passed for her to feel uncomfortable that she hadn't made a response yet, when the jackrabbit before her suddenly stopped and raised his paw as a clenched fist.

While Hopps hadn't had the Special Ops training Jack had, she still knew 'stop' when she saw it.

Raising two fingers, the rabbit pointed to the wall to the right, and Judy threw herself against it, trying to allow herself to follow his silent orders intuitively rather than wasting time figuring out the actual meaning.

Jack backed against the wall likewise, pressing himself flat against the cold metal of the create.

His head peering around the side of the crate, he beckoned for Judy to come closer.

Shifting herself closer to the still-beckoning paw, Judy allowed her shoulder to be grasped by the male and then to be pulled around in front of him.

His arms came tight around her as he held her close to the edge of the crate, lending her just enough leeway to peek her head around the side of the create - though the outside view was the last thing on her mind _now._

Judy glanced down to their bodies - her back flush against him; her rump somewhere she'd far rather it wasn't. She felt the tightness of his arms around him; his slow breaths beside her ear. She glanced around into his face... and saw him fully enwrapped in the 'spying'; not even aware of how he was holding her.

She forced herself to relax - reminded herself the she had to trust him for now, and that the only reason he was holding her so close was so they could both look out from the same piece of cover - and turned back out towards the sight.

"I count twenty," Jack said, as Judy gazed out at the sight: a massive tanker vessel - painted black without markings, identification or lights - with a host of a dozen or so mammals moving around it, pulling wooden palates with small creates up onto the deck.

"They had a guard this end," Judy added. "Probably there'll be a dozen more in the area but out of sight."

"I didn't hear any patrols - probably they're all stood guard. If we go back the way we came, we shouldn't run into trouble."

Judy nodded, realizing how very close his face was as she felt the soft touch of the fur on his cheek move against hers.

Hopps gritted her teeth, and forced herself to believe it was _just_ so he could whisper quiet enough so only _she_ would hear.

"This should be close enough," he said, his gaze locked with the boat.

"Got that right," she muttered so only she could hear.

"Hand me the track launcher."

Judy's paw had just reached into her pocket, and then a sudden, ear-splitting howl called out from the darkness behind them.

The mammals froze, the deathly howl like an ethereal call on the winds - the group of mammals before them stopping, and turning instantly towards them.

Hopps' face paled as the furious jackrabbit pulled the dog's gun from his pocket, hissing a variety of swear words as the round slid into place. "Get the replica gun out," he shot. "They won't know it's a fake until you try and fire it."

The sensation of being 'startled' wearing off, the crowd of twenty began advancing, with many realizing they had to investigate the sound while the rest blindly followed the crowd.

For a single, terrible instant, Judy saw the fear and doubt written all across the jackrabbits face; then he sucked in a sharp breath, bit down hard on his own teeth, squared his shoulders, and darted out into the light.

He fired, immediately, two rounds into the air before aiming the gun dead towards them, holding it before him with both paws resting on the grip, the muzzle swinging side to side at the closest mammals as Judy stepped into the light beside him a moment later with the reproduction of Scarlett's gun in paw.

"Okay, two to twenty," Judy breathed, trying to keep confident. "It's only ten each - that's not so bad, _right?_ "

"Maybe," he muttered, grimly. "Maybe we'd have a decent chance if we had _cover_ , if the gun you're holding _wasn't_ fake and if I had more then _eight_ shots left!"

The crowd began to advance; Jack shot another round into the air. He was running out of bullets but that didn't matter - the moment the firefight started they'd both be dead anyway; the only chance they had was to hold them of with the fear of getting shot, and somehow - _somehow_ \- get the hell out of there without getting killed.

One of the larger mammals reached suddenly for his pocket. Jack's gun darted towards him; the mammal froze in place. He did not dare move, but he didn't draw his paw back either.

Without warning or apparent cause, the mammals stopped in their advance and just gazed over at the rabbits - many still with their paws on their guns, but no longer apparently interested in pulling it them.

"I don't like this," Judy said. "What're they doing?"

Jack didn't answer, his gaze flicking from mammal to mammal, his face tight and stressed. He noticed his paw was shaking as he held his gun. He didn't understand why he was so afraid - he'd been in worse situations before and felt nothing - but there was something wrong, some evil afoot ~

The noses of both rabbits' twitched. A fresh foulness entered the air. Backing up another step, Judy suddenly stopped, her body frozen as she felt something behind her. "Savage," she shot, her voice a breath. "Savage!"

Trying not to take his eyes from the crowd behind them, Jack glanced to the rabbit beside him. He saw a shape in the darkness, and in the fleeting glance he allowed himself, assumed it was the dog they had taken out earlier.

"Keep your gun trained forwards," he muttered, before he shot into action.

Darting sideways suddenly, the jackrabbit planted his elbow heavily into the chest of the mammal behind them to wind and disorientate him. Crouching down and spinning, quickly, the he made to kick the overbalanced mammal off his feet with a low kick. Leaping back on his feet, he turned to land a punch into the dog's neck, ending him as he should have done before. He stood. He turned.

He froze.

His gaze rose: rising several feet above where the head of the dog should've been; rising to look into the face of the mammal who hadn't flinched as the rabbit's elbow hit home; hadn't budged at his kick.

A feeling of deep sickness suddenly taking hold, the strength of the Agent's fist withered and his expression melted into fear.

With a snarl that sounded like the hollow bells of Death, the albino white wolf moved. His paw a blur of impossible speed, he grabbed the jackrabbit by the scruff of his neck and tossed him like a stick into the darkness of the corridors of shipping containers.

Judy darted around, but his face and shape was lost to her in the darkness he lingered within. The wolf took a single pace towards her; his face moved from shadow to light.

Judy dropped the gun, her paws loosing all strength even as her every muscle tensed. She gazed up into the slitted voids of his pale eyes, her pupils turning to pinpricks in her fear. Her shriveling body frozen beyond all capacity to flee, the rabbit could only watch as the wolf reached out a paw towards her.

He turned, distracted by the sounds of shouting as the other members of the gang rushed towards him. "Get them," cried one. "Out of the way, let me shoot," cried another.

Wulf watched with a rage like no other as they approached. This Pray was _His!_ He lept out into the opening, the mammals jumping back as he let out a roar which echoed off the city buildings and rolled around the distant mountains.

"We have to stop them," shouted one, leveling his gun with Judy's head. "We have to stop them bef _agrck_ ~"

With a simple slash, the wolf cut open the mammals neck. The body fell limply to the floor, his limbs twitching. Turning back to the gang members, the white wolf snarled. They reacted like mice - life wildlife before a forest fire - and they scarpered back to the boat, hurrying to board with all the speed they could.

Wulf turned sharply back to the rabbit, his head snapping around and his pale gaze locking with nothing.

His expression tightened, the slit of his pupils thinning.

...

"Jack, what - what is that thing? What is it?!

"I don't know, Hopps, but it is no creation of nature."

"What do you mean?" she yelled, darting back through the maze of creates as she and Jack dashed back towards the exit.

"That's no 'natural' strength it has; that's no 'natural' fear it brings. I glimpsed it once before - nearly gave me a heart attack."

"Then what're you saying, it's some kind of-? I can hear him. Run - **_run!_** "

The rabbits sprinted out into the clearing of before. Jack immediately lept down onto the ground and positioned himself as a springboard for Judy. There was no delay, no imperfection in the execution of their plan. Judy jumped forwards towards the fence, pushed herself up off Jack, and threw herself into the air.

From shadows, Wulf leaped, and the chance for escape was snatched form them - even as those rabbit paws grabbed for the top of the wire fence - the white wolf flew through the air, and into the female rabbit as she lept up towards the fence.

She was thrown violently off course, and landed badly in a dead-ended area, holding her head as she tried to force the gray mist from her vision as the wolf padded closer.

With a ferocity which more befitted a prowling lion, the wolf advanced on the small rabbit. She pulled herself back, and managed to bring herself up onto her feet before the wolf reached her - watching her, waiting, allowing her time to recover from each blow; savoring every moment of her torment and her fear.

This is what he lived for.

This is what **_she_** would die for.

Glancing over the white creature's shoulder, Judy shouted out to Jack: "Go! Find the PD!"

The volume of Hopps' shaking voice shook Jack's paralysis of fear from him. "What? You don't have a chance on your own!"

"We don't-" The wolf lurched; quick as a lightning strike the rabbit turned and threw a kick into his jaw, knocking Wulf off balance for a moment as he backed, snarling, away. "-we don't have much of a chance together."

Her voice shook. It was high and edged with fear. Yet, for all her panic and her dread, there was a strength to her voice, and she held her ground against this demon in white, calling back to the rabbit: "Bogo _has_ to know what's going on. You _must_ go and make a call. I'll hold him off - these mammals _have_ to be stopped."

Wulf swiped for her with the back of his paw. She blocked with her forearm. It was a perfect block and stopped the wolf from slashing her face open - but it did nothing to reduce the impact, making her recoil sharply into the wall.

"Tell Nick I'm sorry," she said, her voice pained as she gazed up at the white creature before her. "Tell him I loved him."

Jack's mind froze. Though he was pumped with adrenaline, his mind darted with great speed through the great manner of implications this held. His surprise shifted into anger. He wasn't sure what this meant - didn't have the time to think it through - but he knew what he had to do.

"I'm staying," he shouted, as the white wolf closed on the rabbit. "I'm not leaving you here to die!"

Wulf lurched forwards, his large jaw opening wide to snap closed around the small female before him. Jack lurched to, and his paws clamped down tightly around the wolf's long, white tale. He yanked, hard.

With a startled snarl, Wulf's jaw cracked shut as he stumbled backwards, closing on empty air inches from the rabbit's face. He turned with a glare of hatred at the striped rabbit, and kicked his leg sharply out behind him.

Jack reacted, twisting himself about at his waist; making the kick that would have sent him flying back against the fence nothing more than a glancing blow. He fell back with the momentum of the impact, and kicked his leg out with all his speed at the wolf's supporting leg.

Wulf stumbled back - one back leg being in the air to kick, the other knocked from beneath him - falling, briefly, into his side. It didn't stop him long, but it gave Judy the second's distraction she needed to leap over the wolf's head - his jaw turning to snap at her feet as she leaped overhead.

Reaching out his arms, Jack caught Judy as she fell, pulling her behind him. "Come on," he shouted. "We have to move!"

The two of them raced back towards the harbor, doing anything they could to avoid the wild thing chasing them. They fled back into the cover of the corridors of metal crates.

The shadow of evil gave chase behind them. "That way," Jack shouted at one of the crossroads in the crates. The figure of the white wolf appeared around the corner; the jackrabbit pulled a pistol from his pocket.

"Go," he shouted, leveling the weapon he had taken from the dog. "Get to the clearing - I'll hold him off."

Jack fired a round towards the shape of the wolf. It disappeared back behind the creates, but the rabbit kept his gaze fixed steadily in that direction, backing up to follow Judy.

Firing another round - trying to make the wolf think he was still stood there - he turned and sprinted to follow after Hopps, into the clearing where, just minutes ago, a gang of twenty mammals had been - the massive tanker vessel still turning, slowly, back towards sea.

"They're still in range," Judy shouted, pulling the tracking device launcher from he pocket. "Shall I take the-"

"Down!" Jack shouted, throwing himself at the rabbit as a metal pole was thrown like a javelin towards her. It bounced off the concrete into the water, and Jack raised his gun in the direction it had come from, in time to see the white wolf hurl another towards them from his vantage point upon the large creates.

Jack darted to the side, span, and leveled his gun with the wolf, firing off three unaimed shots in quick succession. The Wolf flinched back and threw himself out of sight, behind the create. Jack backed away slowly, his gun leveled but shaking, holding an arm out protectively over Judy, stood just behind him.

He chuckled, his voice shaking and his laughter forced. "I think I got him - that'll make him think twice about stepping out in the open; might give us a moment to think, to."

"What do we do?"

Jack glanced about himself, briefly. "That boatbuilder's yard - there's a lot of open ground between that and anything else; we can hold up in there, keep a look out, and hopefully last-"

"Look out!"

Savage's gaze shot back to the front, Judy tugging him sharply by the shoulder, out of the path of a metal barrel as it flew just past them. Wulf sprinted from the darkness, having using the distraction of the barrel to cross the space between them.

He reached Jack just as he was pulling himself to his feet, and kicked the gun from his paw. It skittered across the floor, and stopped against the side of the abandoned boatbuilder's yard.

Jack rolled as the wolf's foot came to crush down upon him. He dodged the deadly weight of that powerful mammal's foot three times, and then Wulf grew tired of playing and grabbed the rabbit by his leg, lifting him into the air.

Judy lept towards him, landing both feet of a rabbit-kick squarely into his back. He stumbled a step (but only a step, where he should've ended up face-down on the floor) and Jack pulled himself free form his grasp.

Wulf turned sharply, his body hunched low, his gaze locking with the two rabbits stood before him. They stared right back, both lowering themselves into a fighting stance. There was fear on their faces, but there was resilience too.

Wulf didn't like that. He wanted them begging for mercy.

Prowling a step forwards, 'It' stood tall and menacing, his teeth shimmering in the moonlight, gazing down at the rabbits who looked so tiny and helpless before him.

"Wh - whoever you are ~" Jack said, his voice dry.

Wulf smiled. Here came the pitiful pleading.

"~ we're giving you only one warning: stop now, and put your arms in the air. We have backup inbound. They'll be here any minute."

Wulf stopped, his gaze fixed on the rabbit's mouth, focusing fully on the sounds he was making and thinking hard to remember what all the sounds meant. Most of those sounds he didn't understand - but he recognized it wasn't pleading, and his smile turned into a snarl as he paced another step towards them.

"Back off," Jack warned. "We're not looking for any trouble. Understand?"

Wulf was no longer looking at the rabbit's lips - no longer focusing on his words - and so the words became just a jumble of sounds as his white, powerful paws raised towards his chest. His fingers tightened, grabbing the material of his ill-fitting shirt.

The material tore as easily as paper; the white wolf dropped down onto all fours, his powerful and muscular figure cleanly defined by the moonlight. It also revealed the patch of red where Jack's bullet had hit, trickling down and staining the white fur about the left of his waist.

"Get it's attention," Jack muttered. "I'll try and take out the eyes."

The white creature's paw touched upon the hard concrete as he took another step closer. The two rabbit's backed away. He came another step closer still, but the rabbit's held their ground.

His snarling grimace twisting into a grin, his dense shoulder muscles bunched. He leaned back, his gaze fixing on Jack - the male wasn't his target, but he wanted him out of the way so he could get to work on the female.

With a snarl, he lept forwards, his claws swinging wide. Judy dodged to the side, Jack fell back - expecting this pounce - and kicked his back legs out with the ground supporting his back, knocking the wolf off balance, making him overshot his target and land behind them.

Both rabbit's were back on their feet in an instant and Judy darted towards the wolf as he turned towards them. She beat down upon his face with a swift volley of blows, but it really did little to damage him.

He lashed forwards with a paw, and Judy lept back to safety, darting forwards again once it had passed and landing another punch to his snout.

Jack waited for the moment, stood in a low hunch just beside Judy. Wulf slashed forwards with a black-clawed paw once again, but this time Judy spun with the punch, turning her back on the wolf and drawing her elbow sharply back into his chin.

Wulf recoiled, shaking his head.

Taking the moment, Savage lept from his hunch, locking his legs tightly around the mammal's jaw and gripping tightly to an ear. Judy tried to help as much as she could, leaping down and grabbing onto one of the wolf's front legs, trying to hold him back from slashing at Jack as the rabbit slashed his claws across the wolf's eye.

It was a dirty shot, but necessary, and the wolf roared - though it was more through anger then through pain. Though the rabbit's claws were only small, they were still enough to blind one eye.

Throwing his head up, Jack was forced to cling on with both paws and legs to not be thrown from his face. Turning his body, the wolf raised the paw Judy was clinging to, and slammed it down upon the ground.

Hopps lost her grip as the air was knocked from her - her body hitting heavily upon the concrete ground. Throwing his head up again, the wolf fixed his working eye upon the rabbit clutched to his snout. His brow lowered, and he threw his head sideways and down onto the ground, knocking Jack off him as his head was knocked against the solid ground.

Savage continued rolling for a moment and then lye stunned upon the concrete. Wulf glanced to Judy - still knelt; still winded. He grinned a sick grin, and paced swiftly to the jackrabbit, reaching him just as he pulled himself to his feet.

Jack turned in time to see the paw as it sliced before him, but only had time to half-dodge it as those razor-sharp claws sliced through his upper chest.

The wound was only shallow, but it still hurt. Jack clutched at his chest, pain and fear clouding his vision as he tried to judge where the next strike would come from.

Wulf spun suddenly, and one of his back legs kicked out into his chest. Jack tried to block it, but the difference in power just wasn't in his favor, and he landed on his back with a heavy thump.

Standing up onto his feet, the white wolf gazed down at the stripped rabbit. He raised a foot slowly, and held it inches above the rabbit's neck. A snarling grin growing on his expression, he raised his foot into the air.

 ** _~crack~_**

Wulf stumbled back, the sound of a gunshot ripping through the air; a spray of blood flew from his back. His head snapped around viciously, and his gaze locked with Judy - holding the tracking device launcher in her paws.

Unaware of it's function - the device looking just like a small kind of gun - the white Wulf turned and threw himself upon all fours, bounding with the speed and strength of a steam train towards Judy. The rabbit froze, caught before the headlights of a car; the fury of a bull; the speed of a missile. The wolf threw himself towards her, turning himself in mid air and kicking out both back legs into her.

With a stifled and winded yell of pain and surprise, the small rabbit was launched high and far, and landed seconds later in the lake.

Jack had seen all but had been searching, furiously, for the gun. He spotted it's gleam upon the floor and bounded hurriedly towards it - the sound of the white wolf's footfall, his gruff panting growing closer with every second.

At hearing the growl of fury behind him, the jackrabbit threw himself upon the ground, feeling the slash of the wolf's claws sailing through the air behind him, scrambling frantically to reach the grip of the pistol.

The weight of the wolf's paw came pressing down upon him. He stretched out that final inch, turned suddenly onto his front, batted the wolf's paw away and thrust the gun towards him.

Wulf's paw shot forwards with impossible speed, his palm and fingers covering the muzzle of the gun. Jack pulled the trigger; Wulf's paw tightened, flattening the muzzle of the 3D-printed-pistol like marzipan.

For a fraction of a second, all was still, and then the pressures erupted, the shell exploded while stick in the barrel, and the second-rate weapon backfired into Jack's face, exploding in his paw.

He screamed, his paw burnt and blackened, his eyes shut tight and his paw clenched in pain. Pinpricks of blood appeared and started trickling down all cross his face at the small shards of plastic thrown into him. He felt a sensation of being lifted form his feet, and an instant later a piercing pain shot through his body he was slammed against the brick wall of the boatbuilder's yard.

Savage opened his eyes and grabbed at the paw clamped around his neck, holding him up off the floor against the wall. The Agent's paw tried to force their way to dig into the wolf's fingers. No effect was had, and his white fingers tightened, drawing closed around his throat.

Jack grimaced, his features tensing as he struggled to breath. Judy heaved herself from the water, her body soaked and her clothes heavy. She puled herself up onto the harbor, and rolled herself over to look at Jack.

The striped rabbit struggled with the tightening fingers of the wolf, dark spots appearing in his vision as the last of his air was used up. Gagging for breath, the rabbit raised his foot from dangling beneath him, kicking out violently into the wolf's face.

Wulf recoiled from the heavy blow, but his paw did not loosen and there was no blood. Jack raised his foot again, but the albino wolf caught it as it came towards his face.

He gripped hard around the rabbit's ankle, and rammed his foot upwards. There was a savage crack as his bone was dislocated, his legs being forced into an unnatural splits - Jack's leg coming to press up against his chest.

Judy forced herself to her feet as she watched. She rushed towards the wolf, hoping to reach him before it was too late. She felt a weight in her pocket as she ran, and remembered the tranquilizer dart she had taken from the ZPD earlier - the one with enough power to take down Bogo.

Wulf's grip tightened about the rabbit's neck, and Jack struggled with ever-lessening strength to escape. His mouth opening, his head shot forwards, and hit bit down hard on the wolf's hand, his large teeth sinking into flesh; biting down into bone.

Wulf yelled out in a feral scream of pain, his paw recoiling automatically and Jack's body dropping down to the floor as he coughed and gagged, spitting blood and a finger.

His pail eye narrowing to a razor-thin slit, the white wolf glared down at the gagging rabbit. He raised his paw, his claws gleaming like daggers, and then-

With a sudden rush of movement, the wolf started back, scratching at a sharp, piercing pain in his back. He span, his working eye locking with the rabbit, grasping the tranquilizer dart from out of his back and pulling it away.

He looked at it, furiously, sniffing the tip cautiously.

Hopps relaxed, just a little too much, expecting the wolf the drop to the floor any second as the powerful knock-out drugs - a thing raw strength couldn't defend against - pumped around his body.

His gaze rose towards Judy - a small smile of satisfaction just beginning to appear on her features - and suddenly thrust towards her, moving with a speed which she couldn't react to and jabbing the sharp tip of the dirt into her thy.

Judy stumbled to the floor, crying out in surprise. Most of the tranquilizing drug had been absorbed by Wulf, but enough was still left to numb her leg, and her strength failed her as she tried to force herself back onto her feet.

Wulf gazed down at the two rabbit's crawling on the floor. He flexed the muscles in his back - the strange, numbing sensation around where the dart had hit already wearing off - and turned back towards his first target.

(*** _**M**_ )

He grabbed Jack by his ears, lifting him with gasping gags of pain against the rough brick wall. He raised his black daggers into the air once again - Judy watching, unable to act - and brought them down in a heavy slash across Jack's chest.

The blood spilled across the floor, spattering across Judy's face as she looked on in horror. A sickening, choking cough escaped the male rabbit, and then his body became limp.

Forcing her leg to work, the rabbit pulled herself up onto paws and knees, crawling hurriedly for the shelter of the boatbuilder's yard close by.

The wolf's paw opened. Jack's body fell crumpled to the floor. He turned... and his pale gaze locked with rabbit. A smile grew on his features, watching her as she tried to escape.

...

There was no capacity for thought within her - absolute blind terror had destroyed any ability for rational thought. Judy's instincts had taken over, telling her - forcing her - to seek a dark place to hide, to curl up and die, before Death found her Itself.

She didn't know why she was still alive as she stumbled, leg dragging, through the darkness. She didn't know why he hadn't killed her already. She didn't know what it wanted or what it was, but she did know this was the mammal who had broken into her apartment - she knew that _this_ creature was the force Nick said wanted her dead.

Her breaths quivering, the rabbit made her way slowly deeper. There was a small clearing in the darkness which was softly lit by some source of light. Stepping out into the clearing, Judy's gaze rose upwards - through the gaps on the broken, wooden roof - and up to the full moon which light shined down upon her.

There was a noise behind her, and the rabbit started to turn. A heavy weight suddenly hit against the back of Judy's neck. She stumbled away, crying out in fear and pain, holding at the hit which could have paralyzed her, had it been just a little to the side.

She turned as she backed away, in time to see the back of the wolf's paw as it smacked heavily across her face, sending her stumbling back onto the ground.

She looked up, into the pale gleam of the white wolf's eyes, and rolled as his foot smashed down at where her neck had been. She threw her weight into the motion and rolled herself to her feet, slipping behind the wolf and kicking the back of his knee.

He buckled just a little, and the rabbit threw her arms about his neck in a headlock. Wulf stood, but Judy clung on with all her will, drawing on all the strength of her small but powerful muscles to throttle the white wolf before-

Twisting his back into the movement, the white wolf slammed the rabbit against the wooden wall of the building. The wolf removed the rabbit's weakened grip from him, and she slid down the wall to the floor.

Her vision blurred and her body weakened from the blow, Judy Hopps pulled herself unsteadily to her feet, her gaze rising slowly back up to the wolf just as his fist crashed around the side of her head.

She flew down against the floor; struggling, now, just to remain conscious.

She pulled herself unsteadily onto all fours, and then the air was knocked form within her by a heavy kick to her chest.

Judy rolled, and lay motionless on the ground, her breaths coming and going in quick pants as her body lay limp upon the concrete.

Wulf stepped forwards, towering high over the rabbit, his features cold and unmoved as he knelt down slowly and reached out a large, bloodied paw to the rabbit. There was a finger missing from the paw, and yet it still touched softly, almost tenderly, on the rabbit's back.

Hopps felt his touch and judged that the time was right.

Opening her eyes, forcing her mind to clear for just one moment more, Judy reached out that last inch to the piece of metal which lay on the ground - the target she had aimed for as she had fell.

Her small, soft fingers closing around the heavy tool, the rabbit rolled onto her back, swinging the hammer wildly over her head and smashing it with all her strength and all the weight of the hammer across the wolf's jaw - which broke, with a terrible crack.

On her feet, the rabbit barged past the wolf roaring wolf, tears starting to well in her eyes and her body on the verge of collapse - with only the promise of escape driving her to carry on.

She saw the door, threw the hammer down upon the floor, braced herself for the impact of kicking herself through the door and-

Wulf caught the rabbit up. He grabbed Judy by her small, delicate head, his claws digging into the fur on her forehead; ripping long cuts down the back of her scalp.

Judy wailed in pain, the speed of her escape turned horribly against her as those claws dug into her skull. She felt herself being lifted, the wolf's other paw grasping the rabbit harshly by her thin waist.

Wulf carried her back to the clearing in the moonlight - the soft, pale moonlight which shone in through the broken roof - the rabbit struggling with all that reminded of her strength in his arms, as the demon in white raised her high above his head... and hurled her down upon the hard, unforgiving concrete.

A sickening crack echoed out through the darkness and dampness of the abandoned boatbuilder's yard.

Judy's broken body lay crumpled on the floor.

The white wolf starred down at her, a paw lowering to his hip.

All was ominously still and silent. Then, with a deathly-soft whimper, a slow breath shivered from the rabbit, her chest rising and falling faintly.

A small smile started growing on the wolf's lips. His paw moving a little to the side, he pulled the leather strap away from his belt, undoing it, and slipping his trousers down to the floor - his long, hard rod hanging over Judy's small, helpless body.

Wulf knelt down slowly, and gently moved the rabbit to be lying upon her back, his gaze wandering all across her lovingly as his paw slowly stroked her bloodied-spattered face.

Judy's eyes opened weakly, and stared up at the pail, emotionless voids of the wolf. The white fur of his shirtless body shimmered softly in the moonlight. The eye which Jack had slashed was open, but it was bloodshot and clouded. His jaw hung limply gaping, blood dripping upon the floor.

He tried to smile at her, but with his broken jaw his face just twisted into a stomach-churning leer. He pressed his deadly claws into the rabbits cheek, stroking her softly just as he had before, but this time leaving a line of deep gashes on her face.

The rabbit whimpered, but she had no strength to cry out; no fight left in her to give.

His gaze traced downwards, his paw following behind. As it reached the top of her chest armor, he brought forwards his other paw and ripped the strap apart, pulling it away from her. Judy's shirt went in the same way, and turned to tatters upon the floor.

Leaning forwards softly - pinning the rabbit against the floor by her neck with his forearm - his tongue extended, and began lapping across the small breasts of the rabbit, his gaze turning slowly lower as he licked - his other paw reaching down to the rabbit's belt; unlooping it swiftly with dexterous fingers.

Judy's soft whimpers rose into a wretched moan as she felt the protective fabric of her pants being slid away from her. She started to struggle a little, and so the wolf returned a paw to her head - grasping it, raising it, and hinting it back down onto hard ground.

The struggling stopped. Wulf lowered himself towards the rabbit's panties, reaching out a paw, and slipping them away.

With a soft growl of love, his fingers lowered to his own underwear, and he freed his swelling meat from behind the cage of his boxers. He sighed deeply as it was touched upon by the cold air - his aching length flexing in the open - but soon his gaze was drawn down to the rabbit below him.

Awareness just starting to return to the rabbit - her shattered mind fighting for every breath; every second; every inch of life left within her - Judy's eyes slowly drew open, and her breaths froze at what she saw. Wulf hovered, frozen, above the rabbit's body. He took a slow breath, prepared himself, and then ~

His ear twitching, his gaze was averted to the door of the boatbuilder's yard. Sirens. Footsteps close by. Others approached. A snarl growing in the back of his neck, the wolf dropped pulled himself upright and darted towards the door, and made ready to deal with this insensitive intruder.

This was _his_ prey. This was _his_ space. The was _his_ kill.

And he _wasn't_ going to _share_.


	73. A Ray of Hope

I apologize to everyone who was sorely affected by the content of the last chapter. For a variety of reasons - the general opinion of the readers being one of them - I, with the input of a few trusted advisers, have decided to remove that particular incident from the previous chapter.

Ergo, Judy is no longer raped. I know there are those of you who believed I shouldn't have been so influenced by the reviews and "followed my own recipe" and my own judgment in the matter of this difficult decision, and I agree with this also.

A part of me still feels as though the story should have been left as it was. However, as another friend of mine said, "if you're unsure, stick to the safer option." Whether I have made the correct decision or not is another matter. The choice is made, and I shall live by it.

...

You need read this only if you read the previous chapter after it was changed.

The thing I am saddest to see go is the rare incite into the mind of Wulf 'itself'. I know it's cheating to directly 'tell' and not 'show' as all the creative writing books tell you, but for the sake of those reading after the previous chapter was 'dulled down', I just want quote the little about his mindset just after 'finishing':

"How he loved the rabbit. How he loved all the things she did for him. He would never forget how sweet and kind she had been to him; had he his way, he would lay there beside her, gifting her with the pleasure of his presence and the love of his desire for many days more before dealing her his final gift - but his Master expected this to be cleared up tonight.

Wulf sighed. It had been a fun game, but in the playing she had accidentally snapped open his jaw. He couldn't shut it, and when he tried a hot sensation like a warning shot through him.

He couldn't give his final gift and devour the rabbit as she deserved, and so the only choice for his final goodbye, it seemed, was to slit her neck open with the razors of his claws. That gift he could at least give her. "

P.S. - if there are any reading this later who did not see the original version of the last chapter and wish to view it out of interest of how I handled it, let me know. I won't recommend it, but the offer is there.

* * *

A black car tore through the dark, city streets, it's sirens wailing, it's lights flashing, it's powerful engine roaring, screaming as the engine was pushed to its very limits.

The ZPD cruiser zipped alone down the road, dashing over pedestrian crossings and through red lights - civilian cars screeching to a halt and blaring their horns as the car bolted past them.

A bend approached; the car overshot due to it's tremendous speed. The back wheels span out, the rear of the car swinging onto the pavement and destroying a bench, leaving long skid marks upon the road with smoke and the stink of burning rubber filling the air as the engine thunked into gear and shot back down the road.

The driver of the cruiser sat upon the edge of his seat, his eyes wild, his jaw tense, his paws locked on tight to the steering wheal - his claws dragging gashes on the material.

He glanced down to the police stereo; at the voice that was screaming at him: "Pull over that car _right_ _ **now**_ , you're breaking every rule of police procedure, you're risking your and everyone _elses_ lives and if you don't stop right _**now**_ , so help me I will-!"

Growling as the screaming continued, the drive grabbed at the radio transmitter, dragged the chord into his mouth, and bit the wire in two - tossing the dead receiver into the back seat as he thrust the accelerator down upon the floor.

Some distance behind him, a procession of police cars drove with all possible speed to catch up with the lunatic driver - all it was safe to use... while the driver of this car careened and hurtled through the city, without care for his safety or the safety of any other.

He cared, only, for the safety of _one_. One individual, who he was headed pell-mell to reach.

The drover tore another corner onto one of the main roads to the edge of the city, the back kicking out a second time and colliding with two bins. There were red lights up ahead and a sort line of traffic. It was some distance away but at the great speed he was travailing at he reached them in seconds and had no time to stop.

In a display of fantastic reaction speed the driver pulled the wheal sharply and mounted the pavement, pelting past the motionless cars and pulling back onto the road - swerving between cars crossing before him.

A long growl escaping him, his foot crushed the accelerator to the floor, and the car engine roared and rattled as rev meter dove into the red. The buildings became smaller and smaller, more of the sky became visible, and suddenly the edge of the city was there.

The car screeched horribly as the driver heaved on the handbrake, throwing the car into a wild turn, a barely-controlled spin. There was a heavy thunk and a piece of car flew away as the handbrake broke, but it had done its job and stopped the vehicle shooting off the rock edge and into the water - instead turning and making on towards the city harbor.

The main gates appeared dead ahead. The driver shut off the lights and the sirens, pressing himself back against the chair, his eyes tightening as his foot switched from the accelerator to the break, wincing back as the car lurched violently as it burst through the metal gate.

The vehicle screeched, treys burst, and the the front of the car ploughed into a large, metal crate.

The breaking had slowed the car enough not to kill the driver, but not enough to prevent the front of the car to crumple beyond repair, and for thick smoke to begin rising from its tortured, burnt-out engine.

The mammal inside clawed at the airbag, fighting to escape from the car - clawing holes in the inflated bag which hissed and shriveled away in a second.

The door flew open and the fox tried to stand, stumbling down onto paws and at the massive rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He steadied himself, breathing deeply, panting as he forced himself back onto his feet, pulling out a gun - Scarlett's gun - from his pocket.

There was no moment of respite for him as he clicked the mechanism and jogged deeper into the port, following the thick scent of his love though the air.

He was probably going to lose his job for how he'd driven, but Nick didn't care - didn't spare it a second's thought. He'd crossed half the city probably quicker than had ever been done before, and knew it was still be a few minutes before the ZPD convoy he was _supposed_ to follow caught up.

His fantastic haste lent him no comfort, and even as the distant wails of other police sirens carried towards him on the wind, he cursed and berated himself and everyone else for the situation Judy - _his_ Judy - was in.

The red figure sprang form the crates to the large opening at the heart of the harbor, gazing out at the port and at the silhouette of a ship on the edge of the horizon.

 _If she's on that ship_ , he swore to himself, _God help me, Bogo, I will tare down the ZPD and gouge out your-_

His ear twitching, Nick's gaze averted to the dark shape of the Boatbuilder's yard. His expression slackened.

"Jack?" he said urgently, stepping towards the shape of the stripped rabbit in the darkness. "Jack! Wh-" Nick stepped in something whet. He looked down - at the pool of blood - and then his gaze returned to the motionless, lifeless figure of the male rabbit in the darkness.

His body shaking - his heart pounding and his lungs ready to burst - he stepped unsteady away from the stripped rabbit, and followed the strongest trace of Judy's scent he could find.

He held on to all his last hopes as he came level with the closed, wooden door of the abandoned Boatbuilder's yard. The sirens were closer now; far louder. Nick sucked in a long, final breath - his gaze fixed on the door, his paw shaking as it reached towards it's rough, textured surface.

Motion. Force. The door burst open and a blur of gray shot out. Nick landed heavily, thrown upon his back and the power and bulk of a white wolf threw itself atop of him - his white paw raising into the air; his claws glinting in the moonlight.

He paused. Death faltered.

Nick dared to open his eyes again. He gazed up at the pale voids of the white wolf - saw his broken jaw, his missing fingers, his slashed eye... Wulf was gazing down at the fox intently, his _Master's orders_ surging hotly through his veins.

With a snarl he lurched towards the fox. Nick flinched away, and by the time he had looked back he was alone in the clearing - the only sign of the wolf having been there being the scent of blood and fear in the air.

The fox knew the danger to himself had passed. He also knew that this didn't make things any better, and he pulled himself to unsteady feet - his paws shaking heavily, his heart pounding, his head aching from where his skull had hit the ground. He turned back towards the darkness, through the open door of the yard.

"-and get a heli over here **now!** _Snarlov_ , what's the eat on the medics?"

"Any moment, Chief."

"Search the area - and someone get me eyes on Wilde!"

...

The fox stepped on through the silent darkness. Raising a paw to his mouth, he called out, in a voice which was rasped and quivering, "Judy?"

There was nothing to guide him - not the call of her voice in reply, or even a whimper to follow - only the scent of fear in the air, and the spattering of blood which lay upon the floor and wall, shining coldly in the light of the moon.

She was in there: Nick could smell her in the air; could feel her close by. However, but for the pale light of the moon, the boatbuilder's yard was shrouded in shadow and darkness; with sharp edges and jagged silhouette.

The fox stepped further in, pausing in a clearing in the center of all, with a pool of dark crimson which was larger than the rest - and with the reflection of the moon clearly glimmering off its surface.

Cupping his paws about his mouth again, he called out, with all the strength he could: " _Judy!_ "

Behind him - a _moan._ Nick span around instantly, his heart leaping into his mouth and his body shaking with the fear and the tension. He darted towards where the sound had come from and threw himself upon his knees before a small space of deep darkness close to the clearing.

The fox glanced across the patterns of blood dripped upon the ground, and saw where someone had dragged themselves from the clearing to this space here. He looked back to the darkness - a small square of space between boxes and beneath the hull of a boat.

There would be no back, Nick judged, and realized that it would have been 'instinct' more than anything which had driven her to find a small space to crawl into.

He lent closer to the hole, desperately aware not only of how vital speed was for her, but how terrified she would also be. This needed a careful balance of speed and patience.

"Judy," he said again, his voice soft but clear, as he lent towards the darkness. "Judy?"

No voice spoke out in reply - nothing, to ease the fox's fear.

He reached out softly into the unknown, his palm open as he tried to find the edge of the rabbit's body. The pads of his paw touched upon fur, and the rabbit cried out quietly, trying to pull itself deeper into the darkness, but without any true strength to do so.

Nick drew his paw back quickly as she flinched and gazed at the stains of blood upon his pads. He didn't know what to do - didn't know how to act - but knew that _something_ had to be done... and that it had to be done _now._

Gritting his teeth, the fox reached back into the darkness with both hands. He felt his heart burning in his chest and the sting of tears sharply in his eyes as he heard the rabbit's soft whimpers rise in the tremoring cries of pain and fear, but he fought on through the rabbit's struggling, and found the shape of her curled up in the darkness.

"It's me, Judy. It's me," he said gently as he put his arms around the rabbit's frame. He wrapped an arm behind her back and slipped the other beneath her legs, hushing and soothing her constantly as he slowly tightened his grip and made to pull her out.

He noticed as he was doing so that all he felt of her body was fur, and he realized before he had pulled her into the light that she was at least mostly naked.

He paused as the thought hit, like a bullet to his brain. His face tightened but he knew he didn't have the time to think about that - that Judy needed medical help _this instant_ \- and fought back his instincts to run and hide in a dark place himself.

The shape of her body felt wrong. Body parts and bones were in places they shouldn't be. Nick didn't want to think about; with a final pull, he drew the rabbit into the light and held Judy's broken, bloodied body closely in his arms.

He whimpered as he held her close, looking down into her closed eyes and her vacant expression, at the cuts down her cheek and the buses all across her body. Her scalp was lined with five deep gashes which bled slowly but continuously down her face. Her body was stained all over with blood and with-

His whimper building to a low whine, the fox forced his eyes to close; to shut out the image of his beautiful lover, now lying, a shade from death, in his arms.

He forced his eyes to open again; forced the mists of pain and fear to clear; fixed his gaze on the light and noise of the officers outside... and took a slow, steady step towards them.

...

Outside, the officers hurried about busily. The EMT vehicles having maneuvered their way into the clearing, a number of paramedics were hurrying Savage on the back of a stretcher into one of the vans.

Behind them, the door to the Boatbuilder's yard opened.

The surrounding officers turned... and froze.

From the darkness stepped a figure which resembled Nick Wilde. He stood still in the doorway - everyone stood motionless, as though all time had stopped.

The fox's eyes moved slowly to look upon the face of every officer around him. Taking a breath, he fixed his gaze straight ahead, and took a step forwards.

They all saw the leer in his expression. They all saw the bitterness and hate in his eyes, and the tears which ran freely down his cheeks. They all saw how he carried the limp, damaged body of the naked rabbit in his arms.

They all saw the fox's fury... and they all saw how carefully and how precociously he held her. His expression didn't flinch. His pace didn't stop. He didn't pause, didn't spare the mammals stood around him a moment's thought.

Nick Wilde - Judy in his arms - paced slowly, calmly, deliberately to the open back of the nearest ambulance... and set her down upon the white bed.

They watched, silently. The paramedics began hurriedly cleaning wounds and applying salves - none of them daring to so much as acknowledge the fox, let alone ask him to move out of the way.

Whatever force, whatever instinct had cut clean through the trauma and emotion the fox was feeling began to subside. The silent calm he had felt - the single, all-consuming instruction to carry the rabbit to the clean sheets of the bad - was complete. And so the cacophony of emotions, of horror and of hate, of fear and of shame, slowly started to show.

It started simply - his face tightening, his paws clenching. His lips pulled back and his teeth appeared in the moonlight, his face contorting and a high whine starting in the back of his neck. Blood started dripping from his paws where his claws had penetrated his pads, and Bogo stepped into the van beside him.

"Come on, Nick," he said softly, leading him out of the van with an arm around his back, "you've done all you can for now."

Nick didn't even hear him speak - didn't notice as his arm drew him away - all he knew was the image of the rabbit in his head, the pain, the fear - the loss.

Bogo nodded to the driver of the ambulance, who shut the back door and hurried into the driving compartment, the engine kicking into life a moment later.

Nick pulled himself away from Bogo as he heard the van pulling away, and turned to gaze at it miserably as the lights kicked into life and the siren began wailing.

Breathing in deeply - though his breath was interrupted by a number of choking, sputtering sobs - the fox slowly filled his lungs. As the ambulance turned out of sight, he raised his head up into the air, opened his muzzle, and released a long, mournful howl into the darkness of the night.

The moon shone down upon them, the fox's cry echoing off the buildings and carrying for many miles across the open water. It was heard by the mammals on the fleeing boat. And it was heard by the white wolf, as he limped, bloodstained, alone, comfortless, through the streets.


	74. The Greatest Gift…

The great and noble Lord of Zistopia sat back contentedly at His dining table of black rock, stretching His arms above him and sighing a deep sigh - pushing the tray of breakfast away as the tall, black door - as the slab of rock - slid open behind Him.

"Sir." Appleby greeted, silently gliding into the room and taking up the empty tray.

The Lord said nothing as he gazed out of the large, windows which looked out upon the desert about. There was no glass in them, but they could be effectively shuttered and barred by panels of thick rock which, when closed, were designed with such expertise that there was not so much as a lick of light able to pass through.

The badger nodded respectfully, unoffended by his Master's lack of response, and turned towards the door to leave.

"What time will it be in Zootopia by now?" said the Lord, gazing up towards the rising sun.

"Four forty PM, Sir," Appleby replied, turning towards the black panther smartly.

"And Operation Mincemeat?"

"No word from Master Wulf as of yet, Sir."

"I have no doubts about his success. The situation was set up perfectly - the police were detained, the rabbit was lost, frightened, alone... there is nothing to have gone wrong."

"Indeed. Will that be all?"

"No. Speaking of Nyilas: his family."

"Sir?"

"Terminate them. Immediately."

"Sir." Sir Appleby rotated efficiently and made silent egress from the room, the door swinging open; then silently shut behind him. The badger made down the first of a very long flight of stairs which sank deep beneath the sandy earth. He took up a lantern and match which sat in an enclave calved into the wall - at the top of a smaller staircase leading to the deepest basement - and lit it.

He extinguished the match between thumb and finger, took up the lantern, and made towards the door, pulling it smoothly open and stepping inside.

"Ser," greeted a burly feline, eying the badger carefully. He was hunched and grinned thinly, with yellowed teeth and a line of scars across the front of his snout and with ears which were mottled and torn.

Appleby nodded towards the mammal, stepping into the room and looking slowly about at the mess. "Such a state you keep this place in," he said, derisively.

" _Garn_ \- the Lord give you have run of the whole tower; you keep all'f it spick and sparn. Well th' torchure room's mine it is; I'll keep it how I wants."

The badger rubbed a finger along a piece of bent, rusted metal which appeared to be some kind of head mask for holding mammals in place while 'performing' on their face. "You have the lamented Mister Nyilas' family?"

The feline shuffled away, towards a large metal chamber in the darkness. He pulled on a piece of thick, rough rope and a number of loud clangs rang out from somewhere inside the polished, calved stone walls.

A sheet of thick metal moved upon the floor, a cage of iron rose from beneath; the sound of chains clanking together, the smell of fear and then - three billy goats came into view, shackled, one in each corner so they could to reach out to one another for comfort, inside the cage of iron.

"They bin in darkness they bin for weeks - notain't seen no light 'til now. _Garhne -_ Lord said I'd be havin' with the girlie when 'e'ws done with'm." He cackled sharply, shuffling to a _very_ 'purpose-built' piece of equipment in the corner. "I got 'dis sized f'er size aready. Kep 'er legs open a treat!"

"They're not to be harmed," Appleby said, coolly. "Get in touch with the rivermammal and see them safely off the continent."

"Wha'? Buh 'e said when he'ws done withem I'd have me-"

"On the contrary, he said nothing at all to you. You think he wishes to speak with your class of character? No, your orders come only from me; you speak only to me. My Master has given instruction that Nyilas' family are to be safely delivered from here, and that is what you shall do."

" _Gar_ \- yes ser."

...

Rain had just started falling in Zootopia: not a harsh or heavy rain; not an excitable storm with thunder and lightning; nothing worth sitting at the window and watching from inside. Merely the slow falling of large drops of rain. Merely dampness and cold.

Chief Bogo looked about at the scene - at the blood being washed into the lake surrounding the city - and back to the red fox stood beside him, gazing out blankly at the water, his fur slowly wetting as the rain fell.

Gazing down at the fox, Bogo watched him carefully for some moments, carefully observing the fox closley as he stood there - motionless, emotionless - before him. A sound behind him caught the Chief's attention, and he turned to see Officer Snarlov marching up behind him.

"Chief," she said, "the helicopter is en rout. They'll be here in just a few minutes."

"Good. Good. I've sent out an order for the sea-bound police to intercept, this lot's been through enough today already..." he turned down towards the fox beside him, his concern growing at Nick's continued apathy... "some more than others." he continued, turning back to the polar bear.

"What about the assailants?" Snarlov said. "Any sign of them?"

"We're not sure yet. We've found some blood samples and-"

"It wasn't a 'them'."

Silence lingered for a long moment as Snarlov and Bogo turned down towards the fox.

Only now showing any signs he was still there, his gaze turned away from the lake and up towards the chief - his expressive, emerald eyes pained, and his cheeks whet with either rain or tears.

"It was a _him_. One mammal. A white wolf. Massive. Snarling. Bloodied. It was ~"

His voice failed him, and he turned quickly back to gaze at the dark waters below, his expression tightening and his shoulders rising and falling with every pained breath. He tried to force himself to speak again, but all that emerged was a choking gag; a whimper; a wine.

"Snarlov," Bogo said, "get in touch with the M.I.B.. I realize this isn't a murder, but this is clearly a case of special significance. Think you can handle supervising?"

"Of course. Why, where're you-"

Bogo looked at her, sternly. "Wilde can't stay here."

Nodding after a moment, Snarlov pulled out her radio and moved away from the two, making orders for further backup in the investigation of this attack.

Bogo turned towards the fox once more. Leaning down, he placed his paw reassuringly on his shoulder. "Come on, Wilde. You can't be on your own... you can't stay here... I guess I'd better keep an eye on you for tonight."

...

In a deeper part of the city, a pair of ambulances hastened through the city - their lights flashing but their sirens silent as they pulled up into the hospital car park, where the streetlights shone down with wight, intense light.

The doors lowered on pistons and the paramedics rushed out, both teams pulling stretchers towards the building; the automatic doors opening before them. A team of other white-coated mammals stood waiting just inside, who took the rabbits quickly inside and out of sight.

...

Nurse Flo sat quietly upon the white sheets, beside the grinning wolf. Raising her paw, she cleared her throat, quietly, for the sixth time that minute - gazing ahead at nothing.

Her ears twitched and her gaze flicked over towards him as she felt something on her back, and turned, as though startled, to see as Wolfard genitally reached out as he slid his paw across her back.

"Stop that," she said, her voice quiet and perhaps a little confused as to what he was doing.

The wolf gave the hare a slightly melancholy simile. He stopped stroking her back as she'd asked, but didn't take back his paw. She needed time to adjust to this sort of thing - Wolfard accepted that - but he also knew he had to push her a little further each time; towards being able to accept his and her own emotions.

"We have just kissed, y' know," he said. "I thought that might've 'warmed you up' a little."

Flo's gaze flicked between the wolf and the nothing ahead. After a few false starts, she sat forwards, slipped her glasses off her face, and rubbed her eyes with a paw. "I don't know what to say. I don't know how to act. You'd be surprised, but being in a relationship was never a part of my training - I guess people just expect you to 'figure it out' as you go."

Jim chuckled softly, leaning back against the head of the bed. "And I'm sure we will," he said, his expression fond.

A brow raised sardonically, her glasses in her paw, the hare turned over her should towards him.

"You know, Rose, you're even more attractive when you don't have your glasses on."

"Huh. _So are you_."

"Aww, tha... - wait, what?"

The crack of a thin smile grew on the hare's face. A grin appearing on his as he figured out the poke, he lent towards her suddenly and put his arms around her shoulders, leaning to kiss the back of her neck.

"Enough!" she shot, leaping up from the closeness but making no effort to conceal the grin. "Mister Wolfard," she said, mock-servatiously, "I am a professional person - the most professional I know. I may be on standby for the moment, but at any time my phone could-"

Perfectly on cue, Nurse Flo's phone started to ring. She froze mid-sentence and pulled it out, pressing answer instantly and holding it to her ear.

"Yes? Correct... understood, I'll be right there."

She hung up the phone and stood swiftly, not saying a word to the wolf as she quickly adjusted her lab coat, slipped her phone back in her pocket and returned her glasses to her nose.

"Erm... Flo?"

"I'm needed. Emergency examination and medical care." Hastening to a large sink, she applied soap, rolled up her sleeves, and proceeded to heavily scrub at her paws and arms. "A ZPD officer. In a pretty bad way. Head injuries, multiple lacerations, possible spinal injury-"

"ZPD? Who!?"

"Rabbit."

"Wh - J... Judy Hopps?"

Flo glanced to the wolf, holding his gaze as she dried herself. "I have to go."

"W - sure, yeah - take care of her; is it bad?"

Pausing for one final, brief moment at the door, she turned to Jim over her shoulder. "That's what we'll find out."

In all the time of forty seconds, the two of them had gone from warmly chatting to parting in haste. Wolfard sat back slowly in the bed, gazing at the shut door, wondering what had happened to the rabbit, and surprised at how quickly the hare had readied and gone.

...

The door to the emergency examination room burst open and a small mammal stepped inside. Her fur was covered by a large medical outfit and upon her paws were long rubber gloves.

"I'm here," she said brusquely to the other mammals. The Doctor turned and nodded towards her, the badger's paws gloved and his body covered by a plastic apron - the same outfit Flo and everyone else in the room was wearing.

The hare joined them in the white examination room, looking up at the doctor - and all the other taller mammals - as he started speaking with the deep, reassuring voice so many doctors posses.

"Is this everyone? Yes, good. Our patient is a twenty-five-year-old rabbit, one year ZPD experience, full training, excellent physical condition. Assaulted on duty and requires an emergency examination. Ambulance en rout - ETA one minute - paramedics controlling bloodless. No sign of consciousness, level three concussion, acute bleeding around the head, broken wrist, suspected damage to the ribs and upper neck, multiple lacerations about the face and scalp.

"Itinerary: set carpal bones in the wrist, disinfect and close facial wounds, investigate state of consciousness, trauma to neck and check for any other symptoms. Check breathing, blood pressure and heart rate. Prepare patent for CT scan and x-ray."

Nurse Flo turned about as she heard the door sliding open behind her, looking over the body of the rabbit pushed inside. She stepped back as the table was wheeled over - the team of medical staff circling around the mobile examination table.

She was bloodied and battered, naked beneath the thin sheet the paramedics had put over her - a sheet which was promptly removed by one of the other nurses for examination of her body. Her wrist was supported with a tight splint - her neck with a cervical collar.

Pulling her gloves tight, the hare took up position around the table, standing on the rabbit's right side near her head as the doctor reached up to the medical light and lowered it towards her.

"Antibacterial," the badger said, reaching out a hand and taking the proffered wipe. "I am now cleaning the wounds of and about the face. Nurse Flo, check the damage to the patent's hand."

"Yes Doctor," she said, touching her paw upon the rabbit's arm; very carefully checking the bones in her wrist. "Dislocated carpal bones. The splint is holding it in place."

Dasse nodded. "We'll need to x-ray before correcting the bones. Heavy swelling around the back of the neck," the doctor continued, "with definite damage to the skull showing signs of a suspected fracture. Breathing appears to be stable. Nurse Perry, put her on the heart monitor."

"Yes, Doctor."

As the device was attached to the end of her finger, the badger took up a small torch and leaned in close to the rabbit's eye - the eyelid of which he opened with a delicate finger. "Pupil reacts positively to light - signs of bleeding into the eye, however, and also... yes... blood leaking from the ear: consistent with signs of skull damage."

"I am now moving to examine the neck," he continued, leaning down towards the rabbit's head, moving aside the supporting collar and pressing his paws onto either side of her neck with medical softness. "Definite trauma to the spinal column. Heavy busing. Could be a fracture - can't feel a breakage, though. I think a cranial tomography scan would be wise before acting further on the spine. Nurse Flo, support her heard while I reapply the brace."

"Yes, Doctor Dasse."

Delicately slipping her fingers beneath Judy's head, the hare held her neck completely still while the badger fitted the brace back to her size. As she drew her hand away again, the rabbit started to murmur softly and her eyelids started to twitch.

"Doctor?" the hare said softly, turning towards the kindly eyes of the badger.

"She's regaining consciousness. Flo, comfort her and find out what you can - as a similar species, she'll respond better to you."

"Shouldn't we give her an analgesic?"

"She may need surgery; I don't want to giver her something that'll cause a problem with the anesthetic." His thick brow furrowing, the badger sighed as his glance traced over her, adding, resolutely: "You're right though, Nurse, we must give her something. Nurse White, a sedative; something mild, don't knock her out."

The nurse moved away from the table and fetched a needle and small, glass jar with an hermetic seal which she punctured with the tip of the needle before drawing the drug into the syringe. Judy's eyes slowly drew open, and Nurse Flo lent close towards her, speaking to her in a calm and soothing voice.

"You're in hospital," she said, in tones so earnest and sincere Wolfard wouldn't have believed was her. "We're here to help you. Can you hear me?"

The rabbit moved to nod in response. Still hardly conscious, she reacted badly when she realized she couldn't move her head and began squirming in the brace.

"Please - calm, calm down - please relax, and breath deeply, can you do that? Slow your breaths down; breath with me, okay?" The hare keeping her gaze deep on the rabbit - keeping Judy's attention from looking at the needle the doctor was putting in her arm - Nurse Flo took in a slow lungful of air and let it out slowly.

Judy watched silently, still panicked and frightened, but drawn deep into the hare's eyes and soothing voice. She worked to slow her breathing down to match Flo's, listening to the calming sound of her slow breaths.

Rose glanced up at the badger as he moved to the heart rate and blood pressure machine Nurse Perry had put her on, taking down notes and talking quietly with the other nurses - sometimes, relaxing the patent was more important than rushing to fix them.

Nurse Flo turned back to Judy and fixed her gaze back with the rabbit's. "You are in Saint Burnard's Hospital. You've been brought here by paramedics after an attack at the harbor. My name is Nurse Flo, and your doctor is Doctor Martin Dasse - one of our most experienced doctors. Can you tell me your name?"

 _"I...~"_

"Your name - do you know your name?"

 _"It... it's c - Carrots~"  
_  
"Good. I'm going to put my paw in yours now - don't be alarmed." Reaching across, the hare slipped her gloved fingers into Judy's left paw. "I'd like you to squeeze my hand, please. Can you do that, 'Carrots'."

Hopps half-consciously did as she was asked, and Flo made a note of the amount of pressure she was able to exert before taking her fingers away again. "Thank you. You're doing extremely well," she soothed, softly. "Can you tell me what hurts the most?"

 _"Head - my head._ "

"Where on your head? Is it the-"

Nurse Flo paused as she watched the rabbit; as her eyes fell closed and a number of small coughs started rising from her. Judy tried to say something to the hare, but each time she opened her mouth another gag took her.

Flo turned up towards the others. "Perry, assistance please. Carrots, do you want to be sick?"

Hopps nodded - once, and very weakly - and Flo moved forwards and placed her paws on the rabbit's shoulder, carefully helping her to sit up a little with the aid of the nurse opposite her as a third reached over with a bucket.

"Don't try and hold it in - if your body wants it out of you, it's far better to comply."

Placing her paw on the rabbit's back gently as the rabbit opened her mouth, Rose rubbed her back in a soothing motion as the gags increased in intensity and as the vile extrusion was sucked up from her.

A few moments later, Judy cleared her throat, weakly. _"Could I - have some water?"_

The hare considered for a moment, and then turned up toward the doctor, who had given them some space but was listening to every word. He said nothing as she turned towards him, but shook his head, slowly.

"Doctor, please, she's just been sick. Let her wash her mouth out at least."

The badger nodded, gesturing to one of the nurses who fetched a plastic cup and filled it with water.

"You're not allowed to drink this," Flo said softly into the rabbit's ear. "Just swirl it around your mouth and spit - like at a dentists, yes?"

Judy made a small nod, and again the two nurses helped her to sit up just a little, supporting her back as Flo helped her to take a small mouthful, which she used to rinse her mouth out before spitting it back in.

"Antibacterial wipe," Flo said, glancing to Perry. She took a wipe and handed it to the hare, who dabbed it against the rabbit's lips and mouth to clear up the worst of what was left.

"Your head: does it hurt around the front - where the cut marks are? Or is it more central?"

 _"Th- round the back~"_

"Thank you, Carrots, you've been enormously helpful. Is there anything else we should know about?"

 _"Carh - can't breath ~"_

Flo glanced across her body. The rabbit was breathing - she could see her chest rising and falling - but... "Is it like a pressure? Like something pressing against your lungs?"

 _"Uh... huh ~"_

"Don't worry, Carrots, it's nothing to worry about now, it's just a bit if inflammation of the muscles that control breathing. It's not life threatening - just try to stay relaxed and breath deep and slow, okay?"

 _"Miss... Nurse ~"_

"Nurse Flo?"

 _"Is Nick...? Does Nick know what's happened?"_

"I'm sorry, I don't know. Chief Bogo knows, but I wasn't at the scene. Do you remember much of what happened?"

 _"No, I~. Is it... 'bad'?"  
_  
"We're still finding that out. We need to run a CT scan on your head to check for spinal damage or skull fracture, but it seems to me your spine is only bruised given your ability to press against my hand."

Judy's eyes drifted shut as she listened, the blur of activates, the light, the noise, the smells... the only comforting thing she had was the soothing sound of the hare's voice.

"Your wrist appears to be broken and you may have bruised or fractured ribs, but the main... Carrots? Miss Hopps?"

The hare looked down with concern - drawing the doctor and nurses back around the table - as her face tightened and her eyes shut tight, her voice a thin rasp as it escaped her: _"herh... my head! I~ "_

"Nurse Flo, what happened?"

"She's unconscious, Doctor."

"Heart rate is rising, Doctor," Nurse White said.

"She seemed very weak," Flo added, "and her speech was highly impaired."

"It could be internal bleeding," said Dasse. "It may just be shock and concussion, but let's not underestimate. She's as stable as we can make her for now; it's imperative we get her to the CT scanner immediately."

"Agreed."

The nurses gathering around, they assisted wheeling the rabbit safely towards the door out of the room. Between them, two nurses helped to pull a thin blanket over the rabbit's dignity, before the team of them pushed her out of the door and down the corridor.

"She did mention difficulty breathing," the hare added, walking beside the doctor as she helped push the gurney. "If she's bleeding into the respiratory system, that could be the cause. She wasn't coughing up blood though, so I believe her lungs are fully intact."

"How did she respond to the consciousness test?" Dasse asked as they pushed.

"She told me her name was 'Carrots'."

"Carrots?"

"I assumed it to be a childhood nickname or somesuch - perhaps something more familiar to her or something she feels more comfortable being called then her actual name."

"So it appears her brain is still able to correctly function and remember things?"

"But with an affected capacity for reasoning, yes."

...

Not far from the premises of Saint Bearnard's Hospital, a black police car pulled up in the large, concrete car park of the ZPD. It's driver looked up to the rear view mirror and turned it down towards the silent fox sitting in the back.

"How are you feeling?" Bogo said, quietly.

Nick turned to face him in the mirror, not saying a word but starring back at him silently.

Bogo grunted, pulling away his seat belt and rising from the car, moving to the back swiftly and encoring the fox to get out. He was still in shock; he followed the Chief's instructions instantly, unquestioningly. Bogo wasn't surprised about Wilde's mental state... but he knew it wouldn't last.

He knew he had to get him somewhere safe; somewhere he couldn't run off and do something 'reckless'. He knew it wouldn't be long before his emotions burst.

He lead Nick in through the back doors - his guiding arm still about his shoulders - and towards the Bull Pen. The place was dark and had been partly locked up, but there was still light and noise coming from the reception area down the hall as the clean up crew 'dealt' with the incident earlier.

Bogo withdrew his guiding arm from the fox's shoulder as he unlocked the Bull Pen door, and the fox paced away, inadvertently, up the corridor.

Distracted only for a moment by the door, the Chief turned suddenly with a hushed but urgent voice as he saw the fox pacing away: " _Hey, Wilde!_ "

Nick carried on, unaware Bogo had even spoke. The Chief hurried to twist the key on the lock and pushed the door open, turning quickly and making up the corridor towards the fox, hoping to reach him before -

Rounding the corner, Nick's eyes fell upon the bloodied body on the floor.

The mammals inside turned to see him, and froze as they saw his expression; his bloodied uniform, his clenched fists. The fox gazed down at the sight - at the pool of blood and the scent of death - and the image of his broken lover filled his mind again.

Bogo took him sternly by the arm and turned him back towards the Bull Pen; away form the sight of the brownish-grey goat with his head scattered around the room.

Feeling the fox's body contorting, his muscles straining beneath his arm, the Chief pulled Wilde into the Bull Pen, pushing the door shut and locking it with a click behind him.

He put the fox down in the center of the room and hurried to pull the chairs and tables away; the fox's breaths growing into deep growls as his body shook and his eyes shut tight.

He opened his muzzle and screamed, his voice dry and cracked. He screamed again and his claws flicked out from his paws, his vision blurred by tears as he turned and tore viciously at the wall, lining it with scars.

Bogo backed to behind his desk. He had dealt with situations such as this before, but never - _never_ \- had he seen such agony, such pain or grief on the face of one mammal.

The fox threw himself onto all fours, leaping towards a table several times his size and grappling with it, tossing it down onto the floor. With another roar - with eyes which were fierce and slitted with emotion - he grabbed a chair and smashed it against the wall, breaking the plastic back and bending the legs.

The fox rounded on the door and glared at his reflection in the glass. His brow tightened as he took in his expression - his cheeks stained dark, his eyes slitted, his blue uniform tarnished and spattered with blood.

Raising a fist, the fox smashed it into his face. The glass cracked. Drawing his fist back, he smashed at it again, the glass breaking away and cutting into his paw.

Bogo stepped in as he drew his fist back for a third punch, his knuckles bloodied, and caught the fox by the arm. He struggled violently and twisted himself around in the buffalo's grip, but then his fury subsided to misery, and his fist became limp - his tight, snarling expression draining into exhaustion.

...

Pushing open the double doors into another room, the team of nurses leveled the platform Judy was lying upon with a large piece of medical machinery - the doctor moving ahead of the others to talk with the CV operatives as the others prepared her for a scan.

Judy's eyes parted during the process of moving her across - her breaths short and quick and her gaze darting about. Her voice rose into the start of a small wail, but Nurse Flo moved quickly towards her and took her left paw in hers.

"Breath, Carrots; remember, slow and calm - slow and calm. We need to take a scan of you; it's important you remain completely still, do you think you can handle that?"

The rabbit managed a small sound in agreement, and the hare slipped her paw back out of Judy's as she smiled at her, comfortingly.

The large machine cam looming over her, the bed she was lying upon moving slowly, an inch at a time, beneath it as it _click - click - click_ ed slowly above her. On the rendering screen behind the console, the image of the top few inches of her skull came into the view.

Nurse Flo and Doctor Dasse shared a glance. The badger sighed grimly. "Get in touch with the anesthetist; put her in for emergency surgery."


	75. Quiet Assurance

_Just a quick note:_ when, at the end of the last chapter, I put 'Raising a fist, the fox smashed it into his face', I meant he smashed it into the 'reflection' of his face in the glass - the glass which then broke after a couple of punches; the class of which then cut into his paw; _...he didn't just start hitting himself in the face, I mean._

Also, a credit must be given to 'GhostWolf88' and to 'Sapperjoe85' for both their military and medical assistance which was of invaluable help to me over the past few chapters.

 _Thanks,_  
 _Smail._

* * *

Two mammals sat in the cool darkness of the Bull Pen. The ZPD was empty and the city outside was dark, with few lights still remaining on at this late hour. The shops were all closed, the streets were empty and all mammals with any sense were in their beds asleep.

The buffalo checked his watch as it flicked to half past four, as he pulled over and started to unwrap a bandage he had fetched from the ZPD storeroom, sitting down on his officer chair and patting the palm of his hand on the table before him.

"Up here," said Bogo, the fox stood watching close by.

It took him a moment to realize what he meant, but then the fox turned upwards to the large table the Chief was sat at pulled himself towards it, his paws digging into the wood and his feet scrabbling behind him for a moment before he managed to pull himself up onto it's surface.

He moved carefully on the table top, coming to sit on the edge of the surface facing Bogo, watching him mutely as the burly mammal took the fox's paw in his and held it close to his face.

"You damn idiot, Wilde," he muttered softly, taking up a pare of tweezers; holding the fox's paw still as he delicately made to remove a small piece of smashed glass from the fox's paw.

"Don't call me an idiot," the fox said, darkly. "I'm not the one who sent Hopps out there with no backup. I'm not the one let one old goat hold up the entire ZPD. I'm not the one," he added, his voice becoming dry in his throat, "who set her up to wind up in hospital! That was _your_ mistake; that was _your_ responsibility; that was _your_ fault!"

Bogo nodded, solemnly. As he had expected, the fox's anger had shifted into accusation. It wasn't often in the past he had had to deal with a mammal who was so deeply attached to an injured mammal like Wilde was... but the fox's mental state he did know how to deal with.

"The only 'mistake' on my part, Wilde, was forgetting how delicate and easily broken bunnies are. She clearly was too weak and under-trained to manage things."

"You bastard, he heck she was. No one could've stuck out over what you put her up against - not a whole shipload of vicious, murdering gang members. There should've been a _dozen_ of us before we even let her set _foot_ inside that place."

"Perhaps the fault is Mister Black's. It was he who was unable to hold the harbor and tell us something was amiss when the shipment first arrived. It is Shuck Black's fault."

"The heck it is."

The Chief allowed himself a small, grim smile he didn't let Nick see. The more he pushed blame away from himself, he knew, the harder the fox would press his anger and his blame against _him_... and in doing so, away from Nick's self.

Bogo had seen situations like this end far too many times with the innocent savor of the injured victim left mentally scared for life; blaming himself for what had happened. Though it was delicate to handle, and though it risked the fox's respect for him being forever affected, Bogo knew, he _had_ to make Nick believe that it was the Chief's fault... he _had_ to make sure the fox didn't start blaming himself.

Putting down the slightly bloodied pliers, the buffalo took up a piece of cotton wool, unscrewing the lid of a small bottle of medical alcohol and shaking out a little of the contense onto the cotton pad.

"We both know what's going on here," Nick said, spitefully, his words driven by his fear and his fury, "you're getting old, Bogo; your loosing your touch, you're making mistakes."

Bogo snorted as he continued his act of the self-important chief and made to sarcastically reply, but he was silence as the fox's speech continued, and the dabbing of his paw slowed to a stop as he listened.

"Sending us into Erkin to 'find' evidence for you to put a raid on that place. You think that was legal? You think it's okay to send officers to illegally search a place just because you _suspect_ they're breaking the law? Sending Jack to follow me without publicly investigating my actions like you should've..."

Bogo raised a paw, but decided after a moment he shouldn't have been too surprised the fox had figured out that he'd had someone tail him.

"At the raid when the badger attacked Wolfard, and you said you'd make what Snarlov did to him - nearly killing him - just sound like an 'accident' in your report. We found proof that she was being headhunted by the gang; that they'd specifically made an attack on her apartment when she should've been there. You got a safe house arranged, yes, but did that stop you from putting her in harm's way? Sending out Judy with no backup is just the last of a long line if mistakes you've made. You're getting old. You've lost your touch."

His mind finally catching up with his voice, the fox gritted his teeth and held his free paw against the straining ache of his head, pressing his eyes into the darkness of his paw as he grunted. "I'm sorry, Chief, I do respect you an' all, it's jus'... I don't even understand why I'm here. Why _am_ I here? I should be at the hospital, with Judy, helping Judy! I shouldn't be here sitting around a _ahnd!_ "

The fox broke off with a hiss as the Chief intentionally pressed down just a little too hard with his pad. "For _one_ thing, Wilde, she'll be in emergency examination and you won't be able to see her yet anyway. For another thing," the Chief added a moment later, his voice a tone quieter as he dabbed more softly at the fox's paw, "you're in no psychological condition to do anything or see anyone."

Bogo sat back and pulled out a reel of white bandages, holding it against the fox's paw and tying it around his wound, gently. Wilde grunted - not completely happy about the Chief's comment - but hardly able to disagree, given what he was doing; why he was doing it.

"My paw's fine," Nick grunted. "It doesn't even hurt."

Bogo chose to ignore this lie, leaning back into his chair with a low sigh as he looked at his handwork, his voice quiet and dry as he said: "You don't have any other family do you, Wilde?"

Nick blinked at him, his voice, when it came, soft and honest. "No."

"Any friends you trust who can watch over you tonight?"

" 'Cept for Judy? No, there's no one I trust."

Bogo nodded, slowly. "I have a spare bedroom. You can sleep round mine tonight - I'm not having you on your own like this."

The fox watched Bogo carefully for a few long moments, taking in his expression as the buffalo gazed off at empty space. "...thanks. Thank you, that's very, uh ~."

Glancing to the large claw marks down the wall, the Chief chuckled. "I'm glad I had the foresight to bring you 'here' rather then going to my place first, though. That's coming out of your wages, you know."

Nick scratched at his collar, looking off at nothing as Bogo turned back up towards him, raising his brow at the fox as he sat on the tabletop the Chief was sat before. The fox turned back and looked at him questioningly. The Chief cleared his throat, meaningfully, and then Nick realized what he meant.

"Oh, erh... yeah," he said quickly, tucking his legs up onto the tabletop, swinging himself around and dropping down onto the floor.

Bogo stood slowly behind him, watching the fox carefully. The fury had left him, but he was anything but in a good mental state. He was talking and acting mostly naturally - but the Chief knew it could only be skin deep.

A part of the buffalo wanted to go down to the storeroom and steal away a little tranquilizing round to put the fox out of it for a few hours - but he knew sedation was no way to cure mental injuries in the long run.

Clearing his throat, the buffalo took a phone from his pocket. "Here, Wilde, I have a few things I have to do before leaving tonight. There's a friend of mine you might want to speak to," he added, putting in a number. "Why don't you and her have a little talk, and I'll get finished up over here."

The fox turned slowly to the Chief, his expression blank and his gaze empty as he looked towards him. Bogo tried to give him a reassuring smile as the phone started to ring; turning off and stepping away as the phone clicked and he spoke into the receiver, quietly.

"Hello?"

"Rose, it's Bogo here. Have you got a minute?"

"For you? Sure. What do you need?"

"Knowing your work rota, I'm assuming you recently were involved in the emergency examination of a female Officer." He spoke quietly, glancing over his shoulder at Nick. "I've got one of my officers here who is a very close friend of Officer Hopps. He-"

"Nick?"

"Yes. Have you me him?"

"No, Hopps regained consciousness for a few minutes and wanted to know if he'd been told what had happened."

Bogo nodded. "Well, 'Nick' has been left in quite a bad emotional state from what's happened. He wants to know what's going on but I can't allow him out in the open public in his state. I'm wondering if you could talk to him and try and reassure him a little about her condition."

"I see. Her exact condition and chances of survival are still mixed at the moment - it'll depend on how the surgery goes - but I'll see what I can do."

"Thank you," the Chief said. "I'll hand you over."

Bogo turned and held out the phone towards Wilde who starred at it blankly. The Chief took a step closer to the fox and pushed the device into his paw, gently forcing him to raise his arm up and the phone to his ear.

"Hello?" the phone said.

"Heh - _hello?_ "

"Is this Nick speaking?"

"...yes?"

Rose smiled as she held the phone, her voice calm and reassuring as she spoke. "Hello, Nick. My name's Nurse Flo, and I was one of the nurses present at Officer Hopps examination."

"Carrots?"

"That's right, 'Carrots'. She's okay, Nick. Her condition is stable."

"Well, wha - what's wrong with her?"

Chief Bogo made slowly towards the door and quietly out into the corridor. He knew, as he walked, that even if she pulled through fine, Hopps was going to need a lot of counseling to get back on her feet... but he also reminded himself that Wilde was going to need just as much emotional help as she would.

"The majority of the injuries - while _looking_ bad - were mostly quite simple and non life-threatening: concussion, broken wrist, bruises and cuts about the face and some dislocated ribs, all just need time to heal. However, I also must add that there are some complications. If it was just that she'll be in a lot of pain for a while and will have significantly reduced mobility for upwards of a year, but she would heal fully with time and with the proper treatment."

"So... so what're the complications? Is she going to be okay? Can I speak to her?"

"I'm afraid that's impossible at the moment," she said, softly. "She is under general anesthetic in surgery. During the fighting, I'm afraid to say her skull was quite badly fractured and the bone depressed into the cerebrospinal fluid and putting pressure on the brain. This resulted in blood leaking into the eyes and from the ears and affected her level of awareness, wakefulness and ability to communicate. If left untreated, the bone could have further applied pressure on the functions of the brain and created serious, long-term or irreversible mental problems. The s-"

"Sh - she's gonna be a vegetable? Oh _god_ , she _**can't**_ -"

" _Nick,_ the surgeons are, as we speak, working to remove the pieces of fractured skull and return them to where they should be. She is having the best medical care this city can provide and we're doing everything we can to help her."

"I... _I know,"_ Nick said, his fears and stresses breaking his heart slowly in two. "I know, I'm sorry~"

In the hospital staff room, Nurse Flo handed the phone from one ear to the other. "She asked about you. She wanted to know if you'd been told."

"You - she spoke to you?"

"Oh yes, she came out of an unconscious state for a few minutes. After my medical questions you were the first person she asked about. Usually it's parents, or ~"

"What?"

Flo glanced over her shoulder and down the corridor - down a long corridor of many doors; one which, she knew, housed a beige-gray timber wolf. "Nothing. The CT scan has also identified internal abdominal bleeding which they're also working to correct. The blood had pooled out into the respiratory system, and was making it difficult for her to breath. She's now on a ventilator while the surgeons are fixing the blood leakage; after that, they'll have to clean out any loose pools of blood before they stitch her closed again."

Wilde fell back against the wall, his head thumping back against the hard surface as his mind span with everything that had happened. "I... _fuck,_ I just want to see her."

"I would recommend waiting until tomorrow. Let her get some rest for now - and get some rest yourself, sleeping will be impossible but if you can try to take your mind off it just a little it will help."

"I - _I_ was the mammal who found her. It... she - I noticed her... that her paints were pulled off and her..." His voice a shaking tremble of fear and nerves, the fox trailed off as his eyes shut tight.

"Here is one thing at least I can comfort you on: the rabbit you call Carrots has not been defiled."

His eyes opening wide, Nick gazed ahead at the plain wall. "You're saying she... _wasn't_ ~"

"No, Mister Wilde. Though I don't doubt the attacker's intention was to force sexual intercourse onto her, he or they were unsuccessful in their attempt."

His eyes drifted shut - this time, in a slow, sighed release of tension rather than to stop the pained tears from falling down his cheeks. "Thank God," he whispered. He opened his eyes gradually, his body numb, and said, in almost calm tones: "So what're her chances? Is she going to be okay?"

Over the receiver, the fox herd Flo let out a slow, soulful sigh. "I want to say 'yes of course', Nick - I really do - but you learn in this job it's best not to promise anything. I may not have done a great job 'comforting' you, I admit, but I can, at least, remove your fear of not knowing what's going on. The only comforting thing I can say to you is this: she's young, she's strong, she has great willpower and she has a lot to live for. That helps things out a _lot_. The attack itself aside, there's nothing that could have been done different to improve her chances. I have every confidence in the 'possibility' of a full recovery."

As she spoke, the door to the Bull Pen opened again and Chief Bogo stepped through, observing the fox carefully as he entered and pulling the door with a soft click behind him - holding a small black box in his paw behind his back, which he kept carefully out of sight of the fox.

"Your 'Carrots' will be in my charge of care once the surgery is over; I will keep you updated of any developments as and when they happen overnight."

"If you could, that - that'd be just great, _thank_ you."

In the staff room, Flo nodded. "The anesthetic will start wearing off some time in the middle of the afternoon. When that happens, I judge, she will be wanting to see you just as much as you want to see her."

"I'll be there, you can count on that. How do I find you?"

"Go to reception and ask for Nurse Flo. The receptionist might say I'm busy but be persistent and she'll give me a call directly. I'll see you then."

"Okay, great - and thank you!"

As the fox was moving to press the 'end call' button, the Chief reached across and took the phone from his paws, taking a few steps away from him and speaking, quietly. "Rose?"

"Bogo?"

"How is..." clearing his throat, his voice dropped quieter still as he glanced at the fox over his shoulder. "How's Jack?"

"...not well. He's lost a severe amount of blood. Hypoglycemic shock occurred, his pulse is minimal and his blood pressure is next to zero - I'm surprised he hasn't flatlined already; if we'd arrived as little as two minutes later he would have been dead on arrival. His being strangled also cut off blood to his brain and caused a transient ischaemic attack which could easily have become a full-on stroke. He'll be put into the ICU - if he pulls through the surgery, that is - life support to keep his condition stable, a blood transfusion will be made as soon as possible and we're putting him in a medically educed coma for now. It's about all we can do."

The Chief nodded grimly. "Do what you can for him. He's a damn good Agent. We need him."

"To say his chances are good would be but speculation and lies. Do you really want me to reassure you?"

Bogo said nothing, holding the phone against his ear in the darkness of the room. He sucked on a thin breath between his teeth, and spoke into the receiver, dryly: "I'll see you later."

"Take care."

The buffalo slipped his phone into his pocket and silently gazed down at the floor. He felt eyes upon him, and turned up to the red fox stood in the corner, his fur matted and untidy, his uniform stained with blood and his cheeks with tears. He was read around his eyes with rubbing and his ears were low, his tail dusting the ground beneath him.

Never before had he seen the fox in such a state - rarely had he seen anyone looking so exhausted and bedraggled. He stepped quietly towards the fox and put his paw upon his back, turning him and pacing him towards the door.

The Chief pushed it open and held it while the fox half walked, half stumbled through - leading him out of the back exit and returning him to the car they had arrived by; stashing the black object he had fetched and kept concealed behind his back in the glove compartment before sliding on his belt and pulling the car away.

...

In a sterilized, white medical room, a rabbit lay motionless on her back. A team of medical staff moved animatedly around her, their faces covered with masks, their paws gloved and their bodies covered with a plastic, medical aprons.

Judy Hopps' chest rose and fell slowly; mechanically, as a large machine slowly hissed, beeping as the ventilator inhaled and exhaled into her lungs for her, transparent, plastic wires following from the large piece of machinery and into the rabbit's nose.

Machines beeped all around, the clear pipes from her nose twisting with the colored tubes going into her arms. His green, plastic gloves stained with bright crimson, the surgeon stood back and handed a bloodied piece of stainless steel to a nurse stood beside him.

"The wound is cleaned," he said; "now moving to remove the pooled blood."

Stood by the rabbit's head, another doctor lowered a pare of tweezers into the bone of her skull, delicately taking hold of a piece of hard white; removing the bone and carefully returning it to it's rightful place.

The beeps went on; the rhythmic, steady sound of the ventilator's breaths continuing, perfectly in time with the synthetic rise and fall of Judy's chest. The surgeons contained working, their minds focused and tireless, their gloves stained with her blood.

The rabbit gazed at the deep blackness behind her closed eyes, her mind absent from her body; her soul drifting in the emptiness of her anesthetic-educed night.

* * *

To _'Michaela Rose Cameron'_ : I'm sorry, I can't actually reply or send you anything as you have "disabled the private messaging feature." Turn it on, if you wish to, under Account Settings Account Options. _Smail._


	76. The Longest Day

I apologize for the wait since last chapter and continued lack of responses to anyone who has been in touch (time is pressing and I have not the opportunity to reply this week either - next week I should have more time). College has started again and I have a full timetable (Level 4 Games Development all day Monday to Friday) which leaves me a significantly less amount of free time than before.

Games Dev is not a skive, last week we spent five hours on on one, single PowerPoint about the 'fundamental' principles of Business Management (just the fundamentals - we have to research the rest ourselves in our free time); next week it's Computer Game Legislation. The mental fatigue has made writing well difficult. Though I will try to keep both the pace and quality of writing as best as I can, it has become more difficult to do so.

* * *

The last stitch came in place. Stepping back carefully from the naked figure lying on the bed, the Doctor looked over his work, the nurses around him congratulating him with quiet: "Well done, Doctor"s as they each stepped back and finished up with the operation.

"That's all we can do."

"You've done a marvelous job, Doctor."

"Thank you, Nurse. Alright," he said, looking down at the female rabbit lying unconscious on the bed, "let's get finished up here."

The sleeping body of Judy was silent and motionless, her chest slowly rising and falling under the control of a piece of machinery nearby; her eyes moving beneath her closed lids.

...

This building which the fox entered into was far too big. The walls and ceiling were undecorated and gray, and the corridors were wide and long. He paced silently behind the figure of a large buffalo as the Chief lead him to a small staircase, which he climed clumsily up to a large elevator.

Bogo paused and turned down towards the fox, his large finger jabbing against the 'call elevator' button. The Chief watched him carefully for a few long moments before the elevator ' _ding'_ ed and the doors slid open.

They travailed up the elevator to a room high above the city's streets, and when the door opened, Nick walked blindly out, wandering down the corridor and pressing his paw against the cold glass of the window, gazing down at the light-speckled blackness beneath.

With almost fatherly care, the buffalo kept an eye on the fox the whole time, continuously judging his emotional state and trying to stay one step ahead of whatever he was thinking - what he was thinking of 'doing' - and if it was safe to give him space, or better to step in before he did something he'd later come to regret.

 _It isn't likely he's feeling suicidal,_ Bogo judged, as he turned his large key into the stiff lock _, not while Hopps still lives and breaths, not while she could still pull through._ The door clicked as the key gave way to the pressure of the buffalo's turning. He moved to push the heavy door open, but then he paused as another thought hit. _And if she doesn't pull through?_

The door opening a crack, Bogo turned with eyes which were - in a way few mammals ever had seen - deep with concern and compassion. He knew about Scarlett. He remembered the investigation. But he also knew about the biological factor which would've made taking Judy as his mate - especially after his previous mate's untimely death - so very difficult... and so very deep because of it.

For all his years seeing all the sides of this city, Bogo knew of so _very_ few monogamous mammals who had taken a second mate, and each of them had felt such a strong bond with their partner - stronger even (despite what the populous assumed) than the biology-induced attachment they had felt with their first mate, for the sheer emotional effort and level of trust and affection they needed to be able to accept a second mate in the first place...

Bogo knew from experience, that if Nick lost Judy now, with all that had happened, both in the last few days and in years gone by, it would devastate him.

The Chief's lower lip stiffened as his expression tensed. This was a dangerous situation, but for all that danger he apparently didn't miss the misery of the situation, for as he gazed at the figure of the despondent fox, the Chief realized, with sudden dawning, he was-

Nick turned without the Chief expecting it, and Bogo turned away half a second too late to stop the fox catching sight of the glimmer of wetness about his eyes.

The fox squinted, his mind focusing, for a moment, on something other than the condition of his lover. He couldn't believe what he'd seen - or, thought he'd seen - and yet... he knew it was there.

"Would you care to step in, Wilde," Bogo said, his voice a touch more distant and a good deal softer than it normally was.

Nick stepped in, his body acting automatically, his mind spent and his flesh exhausted as one foot stumbled in front of the other to carry him unsteadily inside, finding a last few fumes from a well of strength he didn't know he had within him.

"We should try to eat something," Bogo said, stepping past the fox and flicking on the light. "I'm as in no mood for eating as you are, Wilde, but... we have to have something."

Nick nodded, said nothing, thought nothing and felt nothing as he did so, standing stock still by the door, his body ridged as he gazed slowly at the bare wall.

Sighing, Bogo retreated from the kitchen and back into the living room, putting guiding paw on Wilde's back and leading him towards the sofa. "Come on Nick, you damn fox you. I would offer you a shower," he said, trying to inject just a touch of humor as he guided the fox to fall back into the large piece of furniture, "but then, no doubt, you'd lose track of where you are and what you're doing. And I'd have to get all worried about if you were okay and go in to get you, barging in on you in just your fur... the neighbors are going to talk about this enough as it is - leading a fox back to my apartment at the dead of night."

The Chief watched the fox's expression carefully but didn't expect to get anything in response. After a few long moments though - after the thought had slowly sunk into the fox's slowed mind - the smallest of smiles grew on his muzzle.

"Yeah," the fox said softly, his voice a broken version of his usual 'sarcastic charm', "don't worry about it, Chief, I won't kiss-and-tell. _Heh,_ the other Officers all know you've got the hots for me, anyway."

It was a dry and cracked version of the sarcastic and charming voice he usually spoke with, and the reproduction of a smirk showed so much more sorrow than joy - but it was _something_ of the old 'Nick' Bogo knew, and the smirk was _something_ other than the stare of emotionless silence he had been forced to watch before.

Despite the severity of the situation and all the Chief's fears, a warm smile grew on Bogo's expression. "It's good to know you're still in there, Wilde," he said, softly. "I was starting to think we'd lost you."

Nick managed the trace of a chuckle, his head nodding weakly and his brow low with exhaustion. "Huh, it'll take more than this before you'll have seen the last of me, Chief. Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to lay down - and die."

Bogo nodded, watching silently as the fox's body folded in on itself. It wasn't a neat or compact shape Nick tucked himself into - more that he collapsed, fell apart into the large sofa. His eyes were shut before his body landed flat against the cushions, and the Chief judged he had passed out before his head had come to rest.

The Chief watched for a few long moments - just long enough to feel self-conscious about doing so - and he turned and made to pace away. Nick's voice caught his attention, and he glanced back towards the fox as he said:

"I knew it, Bogo... first thing I thought when I woke up, 'Today is going to be a very long day'. I shouldn't have left the house. I should've stayed at home, hidden Judy beneath the sheets." Nick glanced up towards the Chief, realizing a moment too late what he'd pretty much just admitted. He chuckled, dryly. "You know we're a couple, right?"

Nick didn't wait for a reply, lowering himself deeper into the couch as he smirked - an expression of distant self-satisfaction overpowering the fatigue and unhappiness for a moment.

" _Yeah_ , _course_ you know. Jack told ya, didn't he, the little piece of... _hurgh, mustn't speak ill of the dead~_ " His expression tightened for a moment, Nick forced his thoughts to process. "The jackrabbit I could well end up owing Judy's life to. He could've fled. I guess he gave his life to..." Nick mumbled something to quiet to hear, and his expression became faint as his became neutral of emotion.

Bogo wondered back towards the kitchen after the fox started snoring; he had stood quietly beside him until then, aware that - while he was clearly no 'Judy' - his presence could still offer some little comfort that may have helped him sleep.

After turning on the oven and sticking a random item of food inside, he had paced to his desk in the blue darkness of his office room, pouring himself a large drink from a glass decanter; watching the sleeping fox carefully in the warm light of the living room as he sipped back the stiff liqueur.

He turned down slowly to his paperwork; to the drawing of the city he had scribbled on that morning, of the Hives he had guessed would be where they were and the circled 'x' of Erkin Electric.

Scowling, he set his glass down and picked up the piece of paper, his heartbeat rising and his breaths deepening as he scrunched up the piece of paper in his large paws. He tossed it against the wall, and put his arm down with a thump on the tabletop, his head falling into his palm as he gritted his teeth, his free paw searching the table for his drink.

He found the glass, picked it up, and then the statement Nick had earlier made hit him like a rock - _"you're getting old, your loosing your touch..."_ \- and, in the space of an instant, the glass tumbler became a scattering of shards. Bogo stood rapidly from the table, drawing his arm back and checking his palm for cuts as the fox's final words rang around in his head: _"...you're making mistakes."_

He turned back to the sleeping fox, with his arms and legs splayed out around him, his head hanging limply at an awkward angle. He stepped towards him, silently crossing from the darkness into the room, his brow low. He drew close, and noticed the twitching of his nose, his closed eyes, his fingers and clawed toes as he dreamt a shallow dream.

Unsure of exactly what he was planning to do, the Chief reached out towards him. His paw came to within a few inches of the fox's face - his expression twitching and his ears in tune with the sounds of his own imagination - and then...

Bogo moved away quickly as something buzzed in his pocket. He pulled out his phone, glanced across his shoulder at the sleeping fox, paced away and looked upon the name: 'Rose'. He pressed answer and drew it to his ear, his voice quiet as he spoke. "Yes?"

Long moments past of the buffalo just listening. He spoke a few quiet words of thanks, and the fox's body jolted from sleep, his eyes pulling open and his legs stretching out beneath him, his gaze wondering about the room as his partly-dysfunctional mind tried to remember what was going on.

By the time he had recalled his situation and looked back ahead of him, the face of Chief Bogo was hovering close by, the buffalo knelt down on the floor in front of the sofa, to speak with the fox with neither having to crane their necks.

"Wilde, I've just had word." His voice was soft and quiet, unhurried and clear as he spoke to the fox. "Hopps is out of surgery, the internal bleeding has been stopped, the pooled blood has been cleaned and the fractured scalp is corrected."

Nick just starred - the day had been too long for him to be able to process what he was hearing. He sat reactionless while the Chief waited for a reply, and when none came, he prompted Nick further...

"She's pulled through the surgery, Wilde; she's going to be okay. Everything that was immediately life-threatening has been treated, her bones have been set, her wounds cleaned and stitched, her broken wrist corrected... she's going to be okay, Nick..."

Lowering himself towards the fox, the Chief spoke slowly into his ear. _"She's going - to be - okay."  
_

 _..._

" ** _What do you_** **mean** ** _she's going to be okay?!_** " screamed the Lord of Zistopia, His hairs blazing up on his silken black coat as he shouted violently at the image of a white wolf. "What kind of moronic **_idiot_** are you?!"

The white wolf's ears lowered, his slitted 'good' eye fixed upon the floor at his Master's harrowing words, his voice filled with such unrelenting outrage, even Wulf was turned afraid.

"Alone, you had her, a host of armed thugs at your back, but **_you_**..." His soothing and enchanting voice retched and harsh, the Lord's breaths shivered as He tried to control the surge of black malice which emanated from Him - almost visually; darkening the very room itself with an aura of deep vengefulness. "You dead space. You piece of worthless shit! The time, the money, the _research_ I put into you and this... **_this_** is how I am rewarded?"

Throwing himself at the badger who was holding the laptop bearing Wulf's image, Secretory Appleby stepped swiftly to the side as the black panther snatched at the device, His golden eyes aflame as he exploded into the mic: "Fortunately, I am in a _'good mood'._ Go to that piece-of-dung Svelte, and get yourself fixed up; I'll have you brought back here to discuss your future."

The pail voids of the wolf met fearfully with the face on the screen. His snarl turning to a high scream, the black-furred Lord of Zistopia threw down the laptop upon the floor, his growling cry of hatred continuing long and loud as He beat his foot down time and time again on the device until the glass was smashed upon the floor and the screen broke away from the keyboard. He picked up the keyboard and hurled it across the room; it broke open - it's battery and hard drive clattering upon the floor - as it smashed upon the wall.

Appleby watched silently and impassively as the Lord turned and kicked over a table, ceramics smashing upon the floor. " _Surrounded by crap!"_ he shot, turning sharply to the fireplace, drawing his muscled arm dramatically across the mantelpiece; sending the clock and ornaments flying and smashing on the floor.

"Phone everyone, Appleby," shouted the Lord, turning on the badger, "phone every-fucking-one we know: I want their _ships,_ I want their _guns,_ I want their _missiles;_ I want the city of Zootopia turned to a pile of _fire_ and _scrap-_ _ **fucking**_ _-metal_ and I want them all to know it was _me_! I'll see Admin Tower toppled and the Administrators _hanged_ from the flagpoles of their country; I'll see their industries burn and the lake surrounding the city _poisoned_ with blood. For thirty days and thirty nights the sky will be black with ash and red with fire. The sun won't shine, the dawn won't come and there shall be _no end_ to the torment and all... _all_ shall know it was **_I_** who was the cause **-** _I who am the one with all the power; I who_ am **Almighty**!"

The panther ran out of air, gasping deeply for breath, his voice a hoarse growl, his deluge of spiteful maleficence and satanic intentions vented out to the world. _  
_  
"I feel as though that may be unwise at this time, sir," said Appleby, pacing smoothly towards the panther and taking a clean, white handkerchief from his inner-breast pocket. "Your plans are anything but 'dashed', after all."

The badger reached out towards his panting and growling and sobbing Master, and fearlessly reached to dab the tears away from his eyes. The panther snarled and grabbed the handkerchief from Appleby's paw, blighting on it and ripping it to shreds.

The badger's reaction was nothing more but to raise a brow at this behavior, taking a step towards the mess on the floor and picking up the wooden frame of the broken clock. "As much as I would love to, sir," he said, his voice deeply sincere, "I very much doubt your accomplices would feel-"

"Bastards," He shot, His voice becoming gruffer as the tears grew stronger. "They're all _bastards_. They don't respect me, I'll show them, they'll pay, they _all_ will. I'll show them."

After a pause, Appleby cleared his throat and began again, his voice a tone softer. "I very much doubt, sir, that they feel the 'mood' is right to initiate that stage of the operation. May I also remind Sir of the repercussions of making such a bold move prematurely?"

"Bastards, all of them," the Lord muttered, the power in his voice fading and his body crumpled and he slid down against the wall. "One rabbit - one fucking, _tiny_ rabbit. Tell me again why we give a crap about her?"

"Mister Wilde, sir. For the sake of Mister Nicholas Wilde."

"Wilde," he said, his speech now choked with tears. "Can he _really_ be so vital as to hold up _everything_?"

The rarest of occurrences happened then - the crack of a thin smile appeared on the badger's impassive expression. "Your second in command believes so..."

The panther's gaze turned towards the badger and held his expression, carefully. "Perhaps he will require 'scrubbing' from the plan."

Appleby cleared his throat. "If that will be all, sir? I had better fetch a broom."

The Lord said nothing.

"I will arrange a meeting of the Heads, sir," he added, pausing in the doorway. "It may take some time, but I do believe a face-to-face update on the situation will be required to ensure the smooth transition to the next phase of the operation."

Sir Appleby waited for a few, polite moments in the doorframe; then turned silently and glided away. Zistopia's Lord gazed down at the black surface at the floor, tears slowly dripping from his muzzle. With a low growl of bitterness and shame he pulled the smashed frame of the laptop towards him, and rested his head on it as a makeshift pillow.

His body curling up in on itself - his thick tail coming to cover his head - the Lord's lips pulled back as he stifled sobs, his white teeth glinting in the light of the rising sun.


	77. The White Flower

The gray light of the crescent moon shone dully down upon the earth. It's usual shading of clear white dirtied by the thin clouds which hung as a wide sheet, the world beneath was turned monochrome; to shades of gray and dull blue.

Chief Bogo glanced up the many stories to one of the few windows of the apartment block above which were still lit. He grunted softly, twisting the car's key in the lock and pulling the door open, reaching out across the driver's seat and gearbox, and to the glove compartment.

After rooting around for a few moments, the buffalo withdrew himself with the object in his paw: a small, black box with a disk inside... the disk he had taken from the interrogation room recording device... the one which had recorded the 'event' between Nick and the fennec.

He sighed deeply as he stood, looking at the small, black box as it shone in the dull light, throwing the car door shut again and turning the car key once again, turning back with a dark cloud above his head as he marched back towards the entrance to the apartment block.

...

Amidst the continual noise and activity of the city hospital, Nurse Flo stepped closer to the figure of the sleeping wolf. She watched him silently, the room dark and softly lit from outside, his scent and the sound of his breathing warm in the air.

A thought came to her head - a deep thought from a part of herself which had been, for a long time, been denied permission for her to acknowledge - the idea of just leaning close to the wolf and feel his warmth against her. It was nothing sexual (and it was nothing romantic either, really); just a deep instinct to seek out this new sensation; to understand what he was and what he was starting to mean to her - what she knew he wanted her to be for him.

She knew what romantic relationships were and had studied the psychology in depth several times. She'd never once considered the idea of herself being in a romance some day - always observed the 'phenomenon' in a completely objective way - but, now...

She reached out a paw towards him and slipped it into his fingers. She felt the thickness of his fur and the pads of his hand, and the slight touch of his claws upon her. She moved her hand lower and took his wrist, raising it up a few inches and touching on his main vein with two fingers from her other paw.

She glanced up towards his face. She glanced down at his arm in her paw, back to his face, huffed impatiently and suddenly gave his arm a sharp tug.

Wolfard 'expressed his surprise' in the form of a high-pitched yelp, his eyes widening with a moment of panic before he caught the scent of a Rose and turned towards her, seeing her just after she had hid her smirk for an impassive expression, and had gone back to trying to look exactly as though she was just here to take his pulse.

"Heart rate seems to be accelerated," she said, impartially, as the wolf fought to catch his breath after the suddenness of his awakening.

"Hard to imagine why," he muttered.

"Apologies. I didn't intend to wake you."

Jim glanced towards her and held her expression for a few moments as he rubbed his paw across his face.

" _Buuut,_ now you're awake," she added, lightly, "I suppose I could stay for just a short while... just to make sure you're feeling well. How're your bruises?"

"Painful, and breathing's been a little hard, but I'm okay. How did the examination go?"

"Oh, as well as it could have. She seems to be in a stable condition, her brain damage appears to be minimal - as far as we can make out from the CT scan - and the bones and lacerations are all corrected. ...was that all you wanted to ask about?"

Wolfard sighed, softly. A part of him realized Rose had come here wanting to talk about this 'thing' that had happened between them, but he also knew it would have to be him who would bring it up. "Look, Flo, I know it's probably too early to be having this discussion with you, and if you were anyone else I'd leave it for later on, but I know how, you know, logical and objective you are about these things, and I think it'd just be better to talk with you about it now."

"Tell me anything, Wolfard; I won't judge you."

...

A white foot stepped upon the cold concrete floor. The blood-spattered figure with a broken jaw and milky eye walked silently through the narrow corridor, following this long, deep, decorationless path as he made towards the bright, shining light which emanated from the end.

He stopped upon reaching the end of the gray corridor, at a point where the walls turned to a sharp turn which widened into a much larger room. He made silently through the apparently abandoned complex of concrete rooms - which carried a similar sense of bland desolation as a nuclear fallout bunker - and to another door.

Reaching out, the wolf pushed open the metal door and a wave of slowly-moving, ice-cold steam gently drifted out. His lips pulled back in a slight grimace as he stepped inside, the intense cold of the room inside enough to trigger a pain response - an indicator that the coldness of the room he stepped into would easily be enough to kill him.

Wulf ignored the painful sensation, and made deeper into the cold steam-filled room. The floor and walls were layered in a thin sheet of ice; the air sharp and damaging to the lungs; the ceiling and shelves and tables decorated with enumerable, tiny stalactites of ice.

A hooded figure stood hunched beside the far table, his gloved paws at work upon small jars and hermetically sealed boxes. The wolf came closer, coming only feet away from the onager, and reached out a paw to his back.

The Asian ass didn't react, unable to feel the wolf's touch through the several inches of insulated material, and with his vision blocked by a hood and a full-face mask which provided his lungs with warmed air - the air in the room itself being far too cold for most mammals to breath without quickly succumbing to injury.

The wolf growled softly, and his gaze turned to the long pipes which lead away from the back of the electrically-heated suit. Leaning down towards them, he picked up one of the pipes and tugged on it, sharply.

"Urh!" cried the startled onager, dropping his tools and turning - shuffling slowly about as he fought against the thick padding which impeded movement.

"Arh, Wulfey. Boss send you back so soon? You are..." The Orient mammal's expression cleared as he took in Wulf's condition. "...who beat you up so bad? Your eye, your jaw, and bullet holes? Oh. Come, it too cold here; too cold here for you. I take you to next room and make operate."

Slvelt made slowly through the frozen room of synthetically-cooled air

The next room they entered into was not much warmer, but at last was not being synthetically cooled to below zero degrees. The onager didn't disrobe from his garments - only removing his visor, lowering his hood and doffing his gloves.

"Down you lye, in the chair. Now, my tools." The onager turned and pulled open a stiff, metal container and took out a box from within. Undoing the clasp he opened it up to reveal a variety of medical tools within; talking in a continual mutter to the wolf as he lay on his back on the table. "How have life been with you? I been working on your speech, Wulfey. I haven't not... no, no I _have_ not, the haven't is already _-bah_... I haven't told Boss yet but I think he be very pweased to hear it when it's done. I have already a temporary injection but it won't work on its own. I do more research before telling Him, I say."

Placing his tools down on a small table he pulled over to beside the table, he reached across teh Wulf's body and picked up the first of the many metal straps. He pulled it across the wolf's figure, locking it tight in place before moving to the next, continuing to chatter to the wolf as he worked.

The chair resembled those which can be found in dentists, but looked far cruder and more medieval. There were a dozen large straps going from feet to neck, made from leather and reinforced with metal chain, and each was done up tight by the Orient, who double-checked each and every one before moving to the next.

"Now, let's make a start." Pulling over his table of tools and leaning towards the wolf's chained-down body, he picked up a scalpel and a pare of tweezers, and leaned towards the white mammal's wounds.

...

"Flo... _Rose_ , I'm - I'm so glad you're willing to give this a shot with me, I really am. I do _honestly_ want to be in a relationship with you, but ~" Jim trailed off, sighing uneasily.

Flo smiled, softly, her brow raising as she gazed down at the floor below her. "There would be a 'but'," she commented, flatly.

"I just," Wolfard explained, carefully... "I - all I want, is for you to start being more open with me; more honest about things."

Gazing to the side, the hare raised a paw and stroked back one of her large, black-tipped ears. " 'Honesty'? Well, that's a new word."

"We have to trust each other, Flo. And to trust each other, we have to be open with one another."

Shrugging impassively, the hare's gazed off at nothing. "Anything specific? Or are these just general ground rules?"

"What's the truth about your university thing, your PhD? You said you had one, bu-"

Shaking her head, the hare leveled her gaze with his. "No, Wolfard, I never directly said I had a PhD."

"...wha?"

"You asked me: 'Do I have a PhD'. I said nothing at all, bit simply indicated the medical equipment around me. Looking back, I see how you came to the conclusion you did, but my intention was to point out the fact I was nursing you; not 'doctoring' you."

"Then... why didn't you-"

"I saw no reason to correct you."

Wolfard's furrowed brow cleared. He looked levelly at the hare for a brief moment, and then his head dropped into his paw, muttering to the room: "This is going to be a challenge, dating you - sarcasm and obstinence mixed with persistent logic. This is gonna be a touch one."

Flo didn't react, starring at the wolf. A few moments past, and then a small smile appeared on her expression. "Don't worry," she said, her voice a tone softer and more comforting, "I'm sure I'll warm up. I'm not used to being in a romance. It's not my fault I don't no how to act.

"Besides, surely it's better not to treat you differently because we're in a 'new relationship' - psychologically, it's far better for both of us and our relationship if we just treat each other normally without giving into the short-term emotional satisfaction and relying on that, only to find it wears off after a few months."

Wolfard nodded, softly. He saw the hare's point, and he wasn't at all regretting his decision to ask her out - but it did dawn on him now, at last, that it was going to take a lot of time and effort to 'bring Flo's affection out of her'.

He returned himself to the moment, his head cocking as he looked at her. "So, what is the truth about your PhD? Did you not take one?"

"Oh, yes, I didn't lie about that - I did spend five years working towards it - it's just the Board of Examiners refused to accept it when it was finished."

"So all those years? Just _wasted_?"

"Yepp," she said, dryly, as she sat down on the side of the bed. "Not that it was wasted - the knowledge and experience I gained in that time is still within my mind, and has been invaluable to me in my roll as a paramedic or EMT." Clearing her throat, Flo's gaze lowered. "Though, obviously, that's just my subconscious trying to rationalize the fact I wasted eight-damn-years of university for nothing."

"And... why _was_ it refused?"

"Okay, PhDs, one-oh-one: the point of the first few years of university is aimed towards getting a Master's Degree; you wright a dissociation about a subject you've researched to prove you have a deep understanding of it. In the last five-or-so years, however, you research, compile data for, and investigate a far larger and more in-depth dissertation about something _**no one**_ has _**ever**_ covered before. You make up a new field of research or a new way of doing something - a new computer algorithm for rendering light; a new surgical procedure; a new filtration system for a car exhaust. The point is it's something the world has never seen before. And _that_ is what give your the right to have a PhD - you've created something people all across the world can use to save money, time or lives. _That_ , is what getting a PhD is about."

"Yeah, I - I kind of remember what you said you took. Something about reproduction, and-"

"Reproductive Pathology - the Effects of Hormones on Ovulation and the menstrual cycle. That was, in truth, what my Master's dissertation was on. That went through fine, and displayed to the examiners I have - and I quote - a 'remarkably deep knowledge of the subject of reproduction and the hormonal system, alongside an added breadth of knowledge it was not required she know in the fields of neurological sciences, the circulatory systems and mammal anatomy."

Sighing heavily, Flo turned herself around on the bed, lying close beside the wolf and leaning back heavily against he wall. "My PhD dissertation was just as deep and well planned and through out, and could well have reshaped the way society looks at things. It really had the chance," she added, raising her paws with her fingers grasping the air, "a real chance to make a gigantic and wonderful change to how mammals of different species interact with one another, and it would've been a truly remarkable step forwards in ending cross-species prejudices, in Zootopia and thought the rest of the world."

The wolf gazed dumbfounded at the hare, his breath taken away not only by the sheer grandness of whatever it was she had made, but at the blazing fire of passion which had suddenly sprung up in her voice.

"Wow, that... that sounds _really_ incredible, Flo - it really does. What was it on?"

Flo's blue eyes locked with Wolfard's browns... and her gaze held the wolf's too long for it to just be incidental. The tip of her tongue appeared as she licked at he lips, uncomfortably - her gaze drifting away as she spoke:

"Chemical Uninhibitors for Bigenus Reproduction - A PhD Dissertation by Roseline Flo."

"Okay..." he said, slowly, "and what does _that_ mean?"

Flo chuckled softly, gazing fondly towards the wolf. "You'll understand when you're older, Jim. I'll just say, if you break it down into what it really means, it is _not_ , currently, the most socially-acceptable idea. The examiners decided to refuse it on a matter of principle - rather than fault with the science itself."

Jim held her expression - somewhat sadly - for a few long moments; then Flo's face brightened into a soft smile. I think this is enough for tonight

Slipping down, the hare started to make quietly from the room. His eyes catching the light as he moved, the wolf reached out quickly and took her paw by the wrist. "W - will I see you? Can I see you again?"

For once, the hare's body didn't freeze up. She turned slowly over her shoulder towards him, her expression thoughtful as she considered. I work from midday to almost midnight - from twelve to twenty-two. I'm already long into overtime tonight and I'll be heading off home after I've finished talking to you. I won't be coming back in until midday tomorrow. But you'll be told you can leave far earlier then that."

Wolfard nodded, slowly. "So, erh... what do you want to do?"

Rose's mouth tightened as he considered her position - as she considered the merits and drawbacks of what this wolf seemed to be offering, and whether or not it was something she really wanted.

"Oh, damn you," she said softly, turning to the small end table and pulling out her pen. "Damn you to hell and back."

Wolfard watched silently as she scribbled something down on a slip of paper. She returned the pen to her pocket, stood smartly and pushed the note into the wolf's hands, turning sharply and marching away, slipping out of the room swiftly.

"...bye." The wolf's eyes lowered to the slip of paper, and to the short string of numbers written upon it. His brow furrowed for a moment, then raised in understanding, as a wide grin started appearing on his expression and his gaze flicked up towards the door she had left from. "You fox," he chuckled, softly.


	78. Drawing Breath

I'm sorry the chapter is short and that I'm not replying to anyone who's contacted me - it's not just you I'm ignoring. Time alludes me. Thank you for your patience.

* * *

A small smile was upon the fox's muzzle as Chief Bogo wandered back into his living room - the front door swinging closed behind him; the lock clicking automatically into place; the buffalo pacing round the side of the sofa and looking down with concern to the fox, having been weary as to his mood upon his return.

"Wilde?" he said, cautiously.

It took the fox a moment to register he'd spoken, but when he did his gaze shifted upwards towards the Chief, his smile growing a twitch more as he held his phone a little closer to himself. "Adorable, ain't she?"

Bogo stepped closer, leaning down towards the fox's height as he opened his phone out towards him, turning it and showing him the photo of the two of them - of Hopps and Wilde - with the fox stood with a light smirk on his muzzle, and the rabbit with a bashful little smile as she was held, her feet dangling in the air, by the scruff of her collar by Nick.

"Such a wonderful day," he said, distantly. "Carrot's... she was just out of hospital with her injured ankle. We took a walk down to the park together. There was a fare on at the time - we did a couple of rides, tried out a few parlor games - then on the way out, she told me to head into a little photo booth. Every time the photo was about to go off, she'd leap in." He chuckled, warmly. "Until I grabbed her and just held her up of the ground, that is. Weren't a lot she could do after that."

The Chief looked on with slightly less than partial interested - more considered about the fox's mental condition (and the prospect of getting to bed sometime that week) to really care about the romantic antics of a year ago. When he saw Nick's eyes glaze over and his muzzle begin to open out into a yawn, he saw the oppertunity he'd be waiting for, and took it.

"Time for bed now, Wilde. It's been a long day - we both need our rest."

Turning up towards him with a raised brow, the fox dropped his phone down on the settee, pushing himself off the large piece of furniture as his legs swung down towards the floor.

Checking the fox was following, the Chief paced to a door and swung it open. The bedroom inside was a simple bedroom, with a single bed and dull wallpaper. It wasn't unpleasant or cheap-looking, but decorated only sparsely and simply, with nothing over-embellished or unnecessary.

Nick walked in quietly, his mind and body focused on the bed and the suggestion of sleep. He came to the edge of the piece of furniture which towered above him, raised his paws, and made to clamber up the side.

His strength failing, he began to slip down, but then a firm weight gripped him by the scruff of his collar and, just as Nick had done to Judy those many months passed, the buffilo raised the fox up off the ground, his limbs dangling as he slowly swung around, hanging from his shirt.

"What next," Nick said, his joking tones turned, by fatigue, to a mutter and his grin faded to the point of being almost invisible, "get a pair of pawcuffs and chain me up to the bed?"

Bogo grunted and dropped the fox down onto the sheets. "Night, Wilde," he said, turning swiftly and pacing from the room. He paused in the doorway, and turned back to the fox as he adjusted his posture on the top of the oversized bed. "Get some  
sleep, Nick. I'll be in just the other room if you need me. I'll keep the door open; I'll hear you if you call out."

Nick nodded, the only part of his body showing definition in the dark blurriness of the room being the glint of his emerald eyes reflecting off the living room light.

His face impassive, Bogo pulled the door almost closed.

...

Beneath the cold and concrete earth, below the ice and snow and the gray light of the moon, an onager - an Asian donkey - whistled to himself tunelessly as he dabbed around the last of the bullet holes to be cleared with an antiseptic cloth; with a scalpel, needle and thread, tweezers and other assorted medical tools awaiting close by.

Taking back the bloodied wipe, he shuffled slowly sideways to drop it into a bin, shuffling in a turn towards the table to pick up the tweezers and then turning back to the wolf once again - his movements slowed by the thick garments wrapped tight around him.

"Such a state you put yourself in," he said quietly as he lent towards the wound. "I guess that's what Boss keep you around for." Probing at the wound cautiously, the onager inserted the stainless steel tweezers inside the puncture in the wolf's body. "Hm, wound seems shallow for normal bullet hole. Wonder why its so not deep ~"

Pulling gently, the piece of metal inside Wulf's chest came loose, and Slvelt looked closely at the bullet - flatter-headed and wider than most bullets he had seen, but not that he was an expert on munitions or anything.

The onager held the strange bullet carefully in his tweezers as he moved to an microscope at the side of the room. Pausing for a moment, he held the small object up to the light. An impatient beeping rang out through the small room - the Orient donkey jolting at the sudden sound. The bullet pinged from the tweezers as he looked around at the noise and swore in a foreign tongue as he looked back, glimpsing the bullet as it rolled at speed beneath a crack below the cabinet.

The phone rang. The onager picked up the device and the impatient beeping abated. Clearing his throat, he put the receiver against his ear and held it to his head with his shoulder, pacing back to the white wolf who turned towards him with a raised ear as he listened for what voice would come from the other end.

"Hello?" Slvelt said, picking up his tools and setting back to work on the un-anesthetized mammal. The room wasn't clean, the tools weren't sterile. It was a messy and unorthodox version of what was usually under medically sterile conditions with a team of mammals keeping careful watch of every move, and it would've gotten him kicked out of any professional hospital. But yet there was expertise in his fingers and a strange, clumsy perfection in his work, and he continued fixing up the wolf's body - in his disconcerting, body-snatcher-esque way, even as he spoke on the phone.

"Yes-yes, Wulfey is in quite the good health. A few bullet holes, some little cuts but nothing too bad. His jaw is broken though. Going to take some time before his nice teeth are biting down on rabbit neck again."

"I would not be at all surprised, Mister Slvelt, if the wolf's services will cease to be required."

"Ooh, Boss unhappy with Wulfey again is He? Let me speak with Him. I make Him see weason."

"My Master is... unavailable at this time. I will do that which I can to see him fully seized by the need to have Wulf's resources available, but I fear this failure may be enough for Him to see his 'dubious opinion' on the wolf as justifiable."

"Buh - buw, my life's work is-!"

"I contacted you only to ensure the wolf's arrival, Mister Slvelt. I have many duties to attend to - especially in the wake of my Master's 'reduced capacity' to run the city - and I have not the time to-"

"He ill?"

"...in a sense, yes. Now, if you will excuse me, I really must be getting on."

"Okhay. Goodbye Appleby."

"Slvelt."

With a click, the line went dead. The onager put the phone back on the table and turned up to meet the wolf's pale voids. "Oh Wulfey," he said, quietly, "whatever Boss do to you, you'll always be my little pup."

Taking up a small splint and some pieces of string, Slvelt moved closer to Wulf's head, reaching out towards his dangling jaw and preparing to set it back in place. "Now keep still. This won't hurt at all - not for one like you, at least."

The work went on for a long time still. The snow began falling outside and the electric heater in the corner of the room buzzed on - the amount of heat it put out negligible when compared with the icy cold that surrounded it. Even left on full power all day and all night, it produced only just enough warmth to keep itself working.

And under a cabinet, forgotten, stuck within the thin slither of darkness between the concrete floor and the piece of small furniture it had rolled under, the small, strange bullet - the device launched by Judy into the wolf from Jack's tracking-device launcher - sat silent and motionless on the floor. Silent, motionless... yet all the while sending out a signal only those who were looking for it could see and hear.

...

Sir Appleby set the Bakelite down on the stand, his paw resting on the phone a few moments longer as he thought. He lifted the receiver again, and extended a delicate finger to the turnstile dial, and began to enter a number.

"Royston, are you receiving me? Put me through to the embassies, our Master requires a meeting of the Heads. Our plans require revising; it is of the utmost importance we use this lull in activity to formulate the most efficacious retaliation formulateible."

...

The face of Chief Bogo appeared silently from around the door - the Chief peering in on the fox who lay motionless and silent upon the bed, the sheets already twisted and matted about him. It wasn't a deep sleep, it appeared, but it was sleep none the less.

Grunting, the buffalo turned and paced onto his office, and settled down into the wide, re-enforced office chair before a tall, solid wooden desk. Grunting, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the recording he had taken from the interview room earlier, pulling the player over towards him and loading it inside.

He fiddled with the boxy computer for a few moments; then the image of a fox sat upon a table flicked into view. A few moments of silence passed, and the Chief sat back with his paw hovering over the volume control as the door on the tape clicked upon and swung in - the figure of Nick Wilde slipping inside; glancing over his shoulder before pulling the door closed.

Bogo started slowly increasing the volume as the two foxes spoke, his fingers tapping lightly on the tabletop impatiently. Listening carefully to the words exchanged between them, his brow furrowed and his jaw clenched, and the soft tapping of his paws faltered to a stop.


	79. Threats of True Friends

Clearing his throat, Finnic lent forwards a little on the cold desk, an uncertainty smirk on his muzzle as he spoke to the red fox sat before him. "You know, that's very honest and noble of you and all, but if I opened up about your past an all... well, I doubt Hopps'll be happy to hear you're a mass-murdering Firm wo-"

Bogo lent forwards sharply and rewound the disk.

"-doubt Hopps'll be happy to hear you're a mass-murdering Firm wo-"

"-a mass-murdering Firm wo-"

The Chief hit the pause button, his expression frozen in a grimace, still sat forwards close to the screen's speaker to hear the low-quality audio. "A mass-murdering Firm worker," he muttered, his voice vacant with shock. He turned slowly to the wall that divided this room with the spare bedroom - the one with the red fox sleeping within it - and his head shook in doubtfulness.

He sat back slowly into his chair, his expression still vacant as he raised a paw to his forehead and rubbed at his brow. A long breath shivered from him. "Knew he wasn't 'clean'," he murmured, "but this? No sociopathic tenancies... and he's certainly no psychopath."

He reached out and pressed play, his mind flooded with thoughts and yet focused on every word he saw on the recording of that interrogation.

He saw Nick's fist hit the table, though the screen was small and the tape spoilt by static, and he heard the fox's voice shake as he spoke in reply. "I have _never_... _killed_... _anyone_." His gaze rose and, bad quality though the recording was, the burning glower of the fox's emeralds was still clear to be seen.

Bogo kept the disk playing, but while the subject of the footage shifted to the bluffs and double bluffs of Nick trying to get information from the smaller fox, Bogo's mind stayed fixed on the _two_ lines he had just heard.

His eye twitched as his mind swam in circles. He whispered to himself, his voice lost as though memorized by some distant ghost unseen. "The fox with the lightest touch..."

Inspiration took him. He snatched his phone form laying upon the table and started hammering numbers into his phone to get in touch with the ZPD reception. Half way through, however, he twitched in sudden realization, and pressed 'clear' hurriedly as though fearful the reception might be called despite the fact the number was only half-entered.

He licked his lips, glancing to the wall beside him as he thought of the fox. He pulled an almost-empty glass of alcohol towards him and tipped back what little remained, turning back to his phone and entering another number. It rang for a long while, but was answered in the end.

"Clawhauser?" Bogo said.

"Oh, erh..." a moment passed while the cheetah sighed - rubbing his eyes or stretching judging by the sound... "Harold, what is it?"

"Out of bed, my old friend," Bogo said, his voice dry but apoplectic. "I wouldn't ask if it wasn't urgent."

"It... it's twenty minutes to-"

"I know, I know... and you can have tomorrow off if you do this for me now. Trust me, if I told you why you we're doing this, you'd see it was worth it."

"Well," Claw said through a yawn, the sound of him pulling himself out of bed coming across the receiver, "what's the matter? What do you need?"

"You still have that spare key I gave you?"

"Sure."

"I need you to sneak into the ZPD for me - shouldn't be hard seeing as you work there. You have to get some old files for me: they may be hard to find, but I stored them all very carefully together. I'd get them myself, but I daren't leave Wilde alone in his condition."

"But why do you need me? Someone's on call at reception twenty-four seven. Can't you just-"

"Ben," the Chief said, softly... "this can't be on rechord that I've requested these files. They'll be in storage somewhere and I don't want _anyone_ asking what I'm doing looking at them. It isn't high security, but you can't be seen taking the files without authorization. And if you are, you cannot say you were told to get them be me."

On the other side of the receiver, Claw took a long breath. "Alright, alright, I can do this, I can manage. Let me just... wait! Oh, I'm not sure where the key is. It, erm... it might've ended up in the cake mix. I'll just have to... eat all of it... before I come out."

Bogo sighed a long, heartfelt sigh. He'd known the cheetah for much of his life and was one of his oldest and deepest friends underneath, but he did dispare at him sometimes. He listened in partial discontent and partial amusement at the sound of the cheetah's scoffing over the receiver, and then he raised the phone to his mouth. "Claw," he said, his voice growing louder with impatience, "listen to me. I need you to get... Claw? _Claw!_ "

"Hmm!" he murmured through a full mouth. "Um-hum?"

...

In another room only a thin wall's whipth away, the emerald eyes of a red-furred mammal twitched open, his light sleep broken by the sound of a voice. His head inclined just a touch towards the wall the muffled sound came through. His black ear turned towards the sound instinctively, and his emerald eyes widoned at the conversation he then heard.

...

" _The Firm:_ I want all the loose ends: everything left unfinished and unknown; every discontinued lead to every abandoned clue to all the crimes that went unpunished. Rumors, theories, _mammals we aren't even sure existed._ There's five or six large boxes on the stuff, all kept together in a corner in Storage somewhere. Get them; bring them to me."

After a moment's struggling, Clawhauser managed to swallow his mouthful. "That'll take a couple of trips - it won't be easy getting through unseen twice!"

Bogo thought intently for a few seconds. "Send me a text when you're ready to go in. I'll phone the reception and make up something that get's their attention - I'll say the security gate was left open or something. I wouldn't have it this way if I had an option, but you have to get me this information _tonight_. I need it _now._ How long will you be?"

"I'm dressing. I can be there in three minutes, in at five... I'll text you in eight?"

"I'll be here."

"Chief, one thing..."

"Yes?"

"Why the urgency? Why the secrecy?"

"...I'm not sure how best to react, yet. There are questions that need answering before I can make a proper judgment."

"I don't understand, Chief," Clawhauser said, quietly, "but I know you more than well enough not to doubt you. I'll see what I can do."

Bogo nodded. "You're a good mammal, Ben. I'm glad to have you working for me. Good luck."

...

An apartment room within a built-up part of the city of Zootopia: the upper floors one of the nicer, more modernistic-looking buildings that was high enough from the concrete and tarmac earth beneath to be unimpressed upon by its constant light and noise. The room was filled with a comfortable silence, the soft-shadowed darkness surrounding and enveloping all, removing all sense of scale and shape.

A small door opened in upon the wall of the room, a beam of thin light filtering through the small space as the door was opened until the gap was just large enough for a figure to step through. The door clicked shut again a brief moment later, and the figure sighed softly in the darkness - it's small and trim, yet upright form silhouetted as a dark shadow among darker shadows.

The figure turned and slipped a long coat from its shoulders, hanging it on a coat stand - which they managed without fumbling in the dark. As the figure turned, it's shape became just visible as a vague outline - a shape with s few rounded body parts and posture that what distinctly feminine.

She stretched, the muscles in her trim figure tensing and her arms raising high above her head. A low yawn escaped her, and then her stretch slackened, her large ears - which stood rigidly upright to aid in giving the impression of greater height through the day - relaxed and fell softly to rest behind her back.

Raising a small paw, the female rubbed for a few moments at her eyes before taking hold of her glasses and slipping them from her face. She placed them carefully down on a small cabinet beside the door on the opposite side as the coat stand, and put her phone down beside it before locking the door and putting the keys on the cabinet likewise.

Through the darkness, the female reached out a paw and clicked on the switch which set off an electrical circuit which heated a filament in the glass case set into the ceiling above her head until it glowed with intense light, illuminating the room crisp and light; the room spacious and airy; the walls and furniture light and laid out in a way which was pleasing to the eye and seemed to open out the space rather than close it in and make it claustrophobic.

The image of the city outside turned completely black in the lightness of the room, and the white-furred hare whose apartment it was crossed the softly-carpeted floor to the floor-length windows every room in this building had and pulled the thick, cream curtains closed upon them.

She turned smartly and paced back across the clear and wide floor to the kitchen area which was polished to a clean shine with plyboard cabinets which were... nice (as nice as plyboard furniture can be, anyway). She stepped into the kitchen area and clicked busily with dials and switches until the kettle was boiling and the oven was preheating.

The routine was the same that day as it had been every day for her entire working life. With the kettle boiling and the oven heated, the hare reached across to a draw, a jar and the fridge. She synchronized both arms efficiently, pulling over the requirements for both a drink and dinner - though the dinner was nothing more than a meal she'd prepared several days ago and wrapped in tinfoil.

Turning back to the small wall of counters that provided a half-wall between the kitchen and the rest of the room, the hare poured herself a glass of tea and pulled open the warming oven, sliding the ovenproof plate inside and pulling away the foil before shutting the oven door.

It wasn't a bad life. The work was continuously busy and possibly quite stressful (if she'd ever paused to think about it), but there was no unnecessary pain or discomfort and nothing that ever made the hare feel like missing anything from her life. Except...

A black-tipped ear which was substantially larger than Judy's raised a little at a buzzing across the other side of the room. Flo froze in place, starring over at her phone as it sat on the small cabinet and buzzed with an incoming text alert.

The routine which had been unchaining in every detail - had been performed in the exact same way five times a week without fail since she first became a Nurse five years ago - was broken.

If she'd given it any thought, it would've surprised her how... uncomfortable this change in her habit made her. She paced across the floor with unsure steps and an unsure mind. She picked up her phone and felt, through her shortsightedness, for the button to see the text message received as her paw reached back down for the table for her glasses.

She paused when the message appeared, her paw resting on her thick-rimmed spectacles. A brow raised quizzically at this not only one-worded but one-lettered message, and she wondered for a few moments if it was sent to her accidentally (this theory strengthened not only by the unusual shortness of the message, but also by the fact _no one_ texted).

She put her phone back down on the table, slipped on her glasses and made over to her small army of bookshelves, fingering through the perfectly-alphabetized tomes as she searched for the right book. "Lacanian psychology, Latin, Latin Phonetics and Phonology, islets of Langerhan, Leptospirosis... Lieberkuhn's gland, Linacre T., Lindale E., Linonophobia, Ling... ah, Linguistic Codes of Communication."

She pulled out the wide book - the sleeve decorated with an intricate series of apparently random numbers with circles around every eighth number which, when read together, spelled out the title of the book. "Twenty four," she muttered, thumbing through the pages, "twenty four... what's the significance of the twenty-forth letter of the alphabet? What is the significance of the letter 'x'? And who'd be sending it? The only person in recent memory who..."

The phone buzzed a second time. Flo turned and made towards it sharply, her speed driven by curiosity. "Sheesh," the text read "don't leave me hanging or anything will ya!"

A small but peculiar smile appeared on Rose's expression, just as a similarly peculiar featherless appeared in her chest. Finding herself unable to either ignore the text or reply with something condescendingly sarcastic, the hare's mind pushed her towards playfulness. "And what's that supposed to mean?" she wrote in reply.

"So," there came a moment later, "you are awake. Wanna chat? I can call."

"Wolfard, we..." Flo chewed on her lip in thought. Wolfard was taking too many letters, she judged. Clearing the text, she started again. "Wool, we were just speaking twenty minutes ago."

"Yeah, and I'm missing ya already."

Flo couldn't remember the last time she'd found herself grinning. It only lasted a moment, and her overall reaction was liken to the surprised "What was that?" you get when you think you've seen a pink elephant walk past. But this didn't stop her texting; nor did it stop her from walking over to the middle of the clear living room and allow herself to fall back into the wide, soft sofa.

Her usually so upright and proper stature turned to a casual one, the hare pulled her legs up onto the settee and she lay out with her head propped on the arm rest. Resting compatibly and warmly upon the sofa (though the 'warmth' was nothing to do with the temperature of the room) Flo started to do something she had never in her life before done... she lost herself deep in the midst of social texting.

"Missing me already? Incredible the effects a touching of two mammal's lips can have."

"So you admit it, that little kiss of ours had an effect on you too."

"You call it kissing, do you? Did we kiss? Did we 'really' kiss do you think?"

"Well, you had your arms round my neck and you held me tight like I was trying to escape."

"Perhaps you're mistaken. Possibly you're still delusional."

Flo chuckled softly as she typed out another reply. And so the texting went on, and on - all through the heating and eating of her meal, until the lateness of the hour forced her to inform the wolf she had to go off to bed. Wolfard's reply to that had started the hare. She didn't reply to it, but put the phone carefully down on the cabinet beside her. She lay down in the darkness to sleep - an act which on all other occasions resulted in near instant slumber for the amount of time and effort she put into every working day - but this time, despite the lateness of the hour, she was awake a long while after, her thoughts in motion and her small paw tapping in thought.

"I have to go, Wool," she had sent him, "it'll be negligent to my patents if I don't get rested up for tomorrow. I need to go to bed."

After sending that text, the hare had slipped out of her items of clothing and was just reaching to put her night clothes on, when his response had buzzed through. She reached out and picked up the phone, naked and vulnerable in the darkness of the room. She hadn't given her state of undress any thought, but it added to the resulting impact of the text she read.

"Wish I was there with you."

She lay on the bed on her back, her thoughts turning slowly, dubious and doubtful, and yet surprising herself with her underlying openness to the idea. At length, another text arrived, and the hare's paw shot across to pick up her phone and the text was opened before it reached her eyes.

It took a few seconds more for her to put her glasses back on and then for the blurrs to clear, but when they had, her brow furrowed. The text messages board was empty of new texts. A moment later she found the source of the buzz had been from her ze-mail. Drawing breath - aware it would be from work - she opened the ze-mail and read thus:

"Hi Flo, Kathy from reception here. Just letting you know the badger you brought in earlier - the one from the ZPD raid on Erkin you EMTed for - has died. Your report was correct and the blood loss wasn't that severe, but it appears he was under the influence of illegal substances at the time and this effected his body's capacity to sustane itself. He had a heart attack. He should've been in the Intensive Care Ward but since there was no prior indication his condition was that bad it's been agreed you're in no way to blame for his death. Thanks! Kathy."

Turning off the screen, removing her glasses, Flo's head fell back against the pillow and her eyes immediately started to drift shut. In an instant, all energy had been drained from her body, and she found she was able to drift swiftly into silent, silent sleep.


	80. Breach of Trust

In through the back entrance to the ZPD Clawhauser crept, pushing his overzealous body flat against the wall out side the door while the security camera turned away - with the years he once spent in the security department of the police force, the cheetah knew by heart their placements and timings. The camera looked away; Clawhauser hurried his key from his pocket and clumsily pushed it into the keyhole.

The door clicked and the mammal slipped (well, 'wobbled') inside. It'd been a great many years since he'd last been out on an espionage mission (or a physically active mission of any kind, really), and it sent his heart pounding in his chest and had his breaths sharp and short.

He glanced around himself in the darkness, his ears pricked straight to listen for footsteps, whistling; his nose twitching. He smelt a wolf close by, probably having a smoke in the changing room. It was well ventilated and there were no cameras, so officers who didn't want to be spotted often hunched in there while they breathed on their burning pieces of tobacco.

The cheetah walked with feline stealth - his steps silent even with the size of his chest. He passed down the hall and crept to the door to the changing room. He held his breath, and peeped for an instant around the corner of the open door.

He lept back with a muted hiss at the figure of the dark brown wolf within. He recovered himself, glanced in a second time - at the mammal sat with his legs resting on a bench and his back to the door - and darted past the entrance way.

Clawhauser sighed a breath of relief, creeping further down the hall. He paused at the next doorway, glanced in, and found it empty. He moved to the next, then the next and-

Inside the empty room he lept, frantically pulling the door shut as quietly and quickly as was possible as he heard the changing room door pull shut up the corridor. He heard the quiet footsteps of the wolf pass, saw his shadow move across the frosted glass of the door, heard him move away into the reception area and then pushed the door back open a crack.

From down the hall, he heard the wolf grunt softly as he fell back into a chair. He was supposed to be watching the perimeter and checking every room regally. Luckily lazy security guards were commonplace, and the majority of the night staff were stood guard in the basement, watching over the overcrowded mass of mammals locked inside the cells.

Drawing a long breath, the cheetah pushed himself from the wall and crept to a door marked 'Storage - long-term'. He pulled the key from his pocket, slipped it in, and stepped quietly into the darkness, pulling the thick, wooden door shut behind him and flicking the lights of this large, box-filled room on.

...

Bogo watched the clock expressionlessly; the only visible sign of his tension being the fixed stare of his eyes. " _Fox with the lightest touch_ ," he mumbled to himself, darkly... " _Wilde~"_

He stood from his chair and paced out into the living room, glancing in on the apparently sleeping fox before heading into the bathroom. Running the cold tap for a few moments, the buffalo rubbed the cold water against his face, trying to clear the dull ache of his head from the stress, the lack of sleep and the shock.

His eye opening the slightest amount, the red-furred figure of the fox watched the Chief carefully - watched the shadow of his body as it played out against the visible piece of floor from his position on the bed. A thin, wry smile appeared on his muzzle - an expression which came more out of 'professional habit' then due to any sense of satisfaction or pleasure. Though, something about him was enjoying this in a way - back to living on the edge of being caught; back to relying on the razor-sharpness of his mind.

Life in the ZPD had its challenges and was often as rewarding and compelling as his time in The Firm had been... but he'd never been able to ignore the fact it was a far way off the satisfaction he'd once got overseeing, managing and, where needing, undertaking operations of danger and great reward personally.

Something of the 'old Nick' had awoken in him. His Judy had been taken, his life had been endangered, and now his freedom was threatened by possible accusations on his crimes past. Wilde remembered the 'old Nick', even though he hadn't drawn breath since Scarlett's death. He remembered his inner strength, his deadly-sharp mind and cunning, his ambition, his will to survive despite all that was against him - and all he put against himself for the 'challenge'; is power to run circles around people and influence minds, to uncover weaknesses and exploit cracks.

The wry expression grew in to a grin the fox expertly concealed, his eye falling closed as the buffalo's head appeared around the door for a second time. The sensation wasn't an easy one to describe. It wasn't schizophrenic or split-personality disorder... it was like a part of his brain had been quietly dormant for several years now, and that it was now starting to kick back into life. On old machine, a factory left abandoned; the need for it's product returned and life brought back to the whirring of thoughts and turning of cogs.

...

Clawhauser edged his way back down the corridor - three large boxes of paperwork in his paws. He motioned to stop and pull the door closed again behind him, but he had then heard the footsteps of a mammal approaching and he had hurried to reach the door out before another mammal came.

He slipped quietly out the door and hurried, out of sight from the camera, back to his car. He'd left the boot open, and hurried to put the boxes inside before turning and seeking out the direction of the camera's view - counting the seconds before it would turn away; remembering the blind spots in its vision.

Inside, a dark-brown wolf paused as he paced down the doorway. A thought slowly entering his mind, he turned back to the door he had just passed - the door marked 'Storage - long-term', and his muzzle twisted with confusion as thoughts passed through his head.

He sniffed his black nose pointing towards the door. The air within had been disturbed recently, he realized. In fact, now he came to notice it, there was a definite trace of something. There were many scents in the ZPD of many mammals and it was impossible to tell one from the other... but still, the trace of a recent-comer was definitely there.

He moved inside the storage room, his head disappearing inside just as the back entrance to the building pushed opened. Clawhauser froze up for a brief instant as he saw the wolf looking inside the storage room, calling out a soft "Hello?" as he did so.

He shock himself of his fear as the wolf called out a second time and stepped further inside the room. Pushing the door fully open, the cheetah slipped inside and backed quickly into the changing room as the wolf reemerged from Storage - his attention immediately captured by the shafts of light shining in through the open door.

With a startled cry he rushed down the corridor and threw the door fully open, passing by the cheetah who would've been grinning at himself if he wasn't so on edge. Clawhauser hurried from the sanctuary of the changing room as the wolf disappeared outside, hurrying back towards the storage room while the security guard looked all about himself in the cold.

With a self-satisfied expression already upon his muzzle, Wilde slipped silently down from the height of the Chief's guest bed. Almost swaggering, he made soundlessly to the edge of the bedroom and stood with his ear raised attentively towards the direction of the Chief's study.

...

Clawhauser balanced the last of the boxes atop of the one below it, picking both up with a soft grunt and carrying them out to the door. He pressed his hear against it for a moment, then hissed, backing away from the door a step as it opened inwards and the head of a wolf came peering in.

The cheetah kept quite still and silent, poised in the darkness behind the closed door. A few moments later, the wolf muttered something under his breath, and the door slowly closed once again.

Placing the boxes down on the floor, the cheetah pulled out his phone and sent a text to the chief: "OK, in position!"

...

In an apartment room several stories above the city streets, Bogo's phone buzzed. The Chief cleared his throat, preparing himself for the telephone call to come - taking up his phone and dialing a number.

Stood in silent preparation in the doorway of the guest bedroom, Nick Wilde's ear twitched, breathing the cold air, a shiver running through him as he counted down the seconds, his paws clasped neatly behind his back.

The phone rang, and in the ZPD HQ the dark brown wolf paced from the door of the storage room towards the reception area, summoned by the ringing of the phone. The storage room door opened, and a wide-framed cheetah stepped out, boxes in paw.

Dropping his calm, professional stance, the red fox spent a moment to ruffle his fur, his expression becoming tight and fearful, his limbs wrapping around himself as though for comfort, and his breaths becoming deep and sharp as though through hyperventilation. He opened his mouth, rasped his voice, and called out in the most wretched, helpless voice he could imitate:

"Goh - _oh God!_ Judy? Where is Judy?!"

He stumbled from the bedroom, collapsing down on the floor and dragging himself across the floor, the Chief of Police leaping up and dashing over to look, the fox's mumbled words of panic continuing. "Juh - Judy? _Judyyy~!_ Gh- God help me, Judy!"

"Wilde? Wilde!" the Chief shot, kneeling down on the floor and trying to take the desperate fox's arm.

"No! No, get off," he cried, his voice rasped as through tears, though no tears were upon his face. "Get off, get Judy!" He pulled himself from the buffalo's grip and tried to drag himself away across the floor in a state of helplessness and pity.

"Wilde! Nick, it's okay," the Chief said, trying to calm his worried and urgent voice. "It's okay, she's safe, remember? She's in the hospital, you can see her tomorrow."

"No... no, please Chief, let me see Judy," Nick wept.

 _In the office behind them, a phone sat abandoned. The voice on the other end tried once more to get an answer; then gave up._

"You can't go anywhere like this, Nick. Come on, let's get you off your feet."

...

"Strange," muttered the dark-brown wolf, putting the reception phone back on the receiver. "Must be a wrong number."

Thinking no more of it, he paced back towards the storage room, rounding the corner on an overweight cheetah - with two large boxes of paperwork on the floor - who stood facing the door, pulling it silently shut and locking it behind him.

The wolf gawped for a few seconds. "...Claw?"

"Uh!" The cheetah turned sharply to the wolf, his paws grasping to his mouth as he starred at him. "H _iiii_ , how're you?"

"Wh- you're off duty, what're you doing here? Why've you got those box-"

"What am I doing here? What are you doing here?!"

"Me? I... I'm on duty, I'm guarding the place."

"You're on duty in the reception area?"

"Yes."

"You're watching over the security cameras too?"

" _Yeaah,_ why?"

"If you're talking to me," Clawhauser said, feigning a shock expression, "then who's watching the security cameras!?"

The wolf starred at the cheetah, baffled, for an instant, than his expression cleared with panic. "Oh God!" He turned sharply and dashed away. The cheetah watched him go, his expression frozen in place, then turned to the heavy boxes, lifted them and hurried out the door by which he had entered.

He slipped out into the cold, night, dropped the boxes down in the boot of his car, squeezed himself in and made his escape - before the night watchmammal realized the almost facile deception he had pulled off.


	81. Bygone Knowledge

The Chief lay the fox back down in the darkness of the bed. After his initial outburst, Bogo noticed, Nick had been quick to settle back into little more than quiet whimpering. "Must be exhausted," he muttered to himself; "probably had a bad dream, didn't know where he was..."

With a sigh, Bogo turned away from the doorway; Wilde grunting in wherry relief as the Chief left him, satisfied he had prevented him finding out whatever information he had on him.

The Chief returned to his study, and found his phone buzzing softly. He checked it, and found a text upon the screen. "Got seen but managed to get away. Be at yours in 15 min. Claw."

The buffalo gazed around at the dark gray of the unlit room, his thoughts truing dark as he wondered what might come of his being seen. He'd wanted it completely in the dark - didn't want anyone suspecting anything until he knew what steps needed to be taken - and if word got around he was looking up those old files, well... suspicions might be raised; questions would be asked.

He stood and paced back into the living room, flicking on a small table lamp and falling back into his large sofa, waiting for the arrival of the cheetah.

Some minutes later, there was quiet knock at the door. The Chief stood swiftly and pulled the door open. "Evening, Ben," Bogo murmured, softly, "thanks for coming so late."

"Sure, erh - Officer Howlitz, he saw me."

Bogo nodded, taking the two large boxes of paperwork from the cheetah's paws and putting them just in the door. "Did you mention my name?"

"No, I managed to blag my way out of it."

"I'm not surprised," Bogo chuckled. "I still remember when you were the fastest, slyest damn field agent the ZPD had."

"Heh, yeah," the overweight mammal said in reply, "I remember the days - before my... well, you know. Erh, I'll just go... get the other boxes."

The Chief nodded, pulling the door closed as the cheetah paced away, lifting the boxes and carrying them into his study, flicking on the lamp and skimming through the first of the many documents within them - more trying to refamiliarize himself with the layout of the information within.

"Should've had someone type these onto computers," he murmured. He pulled out one of the files - one of the many old, thick files of yellowed paper, badly stapled together with the pages all misaligned from one another.

He skimmed through the first few pages, lent back in his reinforced chair, and began reading. For the most part, it was reminding himself of the facts he had once held in his mind with perfect clarity - for the other part, it was seeking out a specific document, on a specific member of The Firm who was only ever rumored to exists: the fox with the lightest touch.

The front door opened again and the cheetah stepped through a second time. He moved slowly into the Chief's office - pacing as quietly as he was able past Nicks' office - and put the three last boxes down beside the other two.

"How is he?" Clawhauser said in a whisper.

"Came to a few minute ago, screaming blue murder. S'why I couldn't phone the PD and distract the guard for you. My apologies about that."

"Ohh," the cheetah dismissed, "don't worry about that, I got away with the info."

"But you were observed doing so. And if Officer Howlitz reports your actions to someone of authority, then _you_ will be brought under suspicion of tampering with evidence and _I_ shall have to publicly state I injuncted you to get this information for me." Bogo turned back down to his papers, his voice muttered gruffly as he ruffled his pages. "Then there'll be a whole damn line of questioning about _why_ I wanted this information. I don't want Wilde incriminated." He signed, his voice softening. "Not if I can help it."

Clawhauser stood carefully silent and patent beside the Chief, aware of how edgy he could become when overworked and stressed as he was now. His initial reaction was to tell the Chief he should just lay down and have some rest, but Clawhauser also knew the only reaction this would get would be infuriated

He waited patiently and silently for several long seconds more. Eventually, the Chief turned up towards the cheetah, the stress and fatigue of the day across his face, and said: "Go back you your bed, Claw. Take tomorrow off, I'll arrange someone to stand in."

"Chief, I think... you need tomorrow off, Harold, you've been going at it solid now for..." sighing softly, Claw shook his head... "knowing you, you you've been up since six this morning making final preparations for the raid; then you had the problems with Nyilas' escape and his death, the raid, Wolfard getting shot up, Hopps and that... Jack? Was that his name?"

"Jack, yeah," Bogo said. "Jack Savage - had him following Hopps for a while now. A little extra 'protection' against this gang I assigned to her after the safety of her apartment room was compromised."

"Yeah, yeah. Seriously though," he continued, skipping over the mention of Jack's presence with no idea of its true meaning, "you've gotta have tomorrow off. You've been working for something like twenty-two hours straight by this point; even if you go to sleep now and still go to work tomorrow, that's only going to give you four hour's sleep to make up for it!"

His vision blurred and the Chief dropped the paperwork down upon the desk, leaning back in his chair and rubbing at his eyes. "You think I should have tomorrow off? I am, Ben. I'm taking Wilde in to see Hopps; keep an eye on him. Check up on Jack too, see what his chances are."

"Oh, I can do that! You should be resting, not taxing mammals around."

Grunting, Bogo turned towards the wall divided his office from the spare bedroom with the sleeping fox within. "I'll do it. Gotta make it up to Wilde. I've screwed him over these past few days; should've been more open with him. I did what I had to do to find this out," he mumbled, indicating the papers on his desk, "but now I've found what my subconscious was telling me to look for, I wish I was still ignorant."

Claw looked carefully between the Chief and the papers. "I don't get it. What's Wilde got to do with The Firm?"

Bristling, the Chief sat back from the papers he was lent over, leaning his forearm over the documents as though trying to hide what he was reading, even though the cheetah already knew. "It's nothing," he said, his face wooden, "no connection, just... remembered a specific crime from years ago. Nothing major, but something Wilde said reminded me of something about something. I'm looking into that."

Bogo turned uncertainly up towards the mammal stood beside him. After a brief moment, Clawhauser opened his mouth, and the Chief feared it would be to further pursue that line of questioning. Luckily, however, the opening of his mouth turned into a long yawn, and it left Claw's expression vague and sleepy after his lungful was emptied.

Bogo chuckled, hoarsely. "Go get some sleep, Ben. I'll probably come by with Wilde in a day or two; I'm not sure how long it'll be before I'm comfortable with his mental condition enough to let him go out on his own."

"I understand, Chief," Clawhauser said. "Take whatever time you need, I'm sure the others will understand. Are we putting McHorn in charge of operations in your absence?"

"No, I've taken special disciplinary action after what happened at Hopps' briefing before the raid. Snarlov's next in seniority next to him."

"Right. I'll send her a message and make sure she's aware, sir."

The Chief nodded, the cheetah turning and making from the room; turning back down to the paperwork, and sending a small wave in Clawhauser's direction when he turned at the front door to glance back.

Claw waved back, stepped out of the darkness of the Chief's living room into the lit corridors outside, and pulled the door closed behind him.

...

"...an' with the hull breached and water flooding in though the lower levels, we thought we were done for. Then there came this 'nother great ol' flash and a bolt oh lightning struck down on the mast an' burnt a hole in the sales, whole thing up in flames. Now luckily, when the flash oh lighting hit an' the sea lit up, I saw land not far off, so I calls an' shouts out to all them workin' on the ship and tells them to get on the lifeboat. Well, the Cap'in came up to me an' said that were I were doing was mutiny. I told him it were 'new-to-me' as well, but he didn't much like the joke I don't think, 'cause he started havin' off about putting me to death and that he'd be having no one leave the ship while it were still afloat.

"Luckily now, an ole friend of mine - Reznov Achternal, a great ole Russian bear, massive great creature - were close by, an' he picked up the Skipper an' threw 'im into the life raft, helped me get all the men on board, cast as off, and got everyone back on dry land safely!"

The assembled mammals listened in awe to the shaggy, black dog's tales, both cops and criminals alike taken in by his stories of adventure and courage. One of the assembled shock his head in wonder. "And what happened to the ship?" he said. "Did you recover the cargo?"

"Pah," Shuck laughed, explosively, "did we ev'r! Whole thing sunk down that night in the chaos of the storm, but next morn', we set back out to the wreckage and found a dozen of the crates floating all about. A lot of the tobacco was washed out to sea or spoilt by the salt, but there was enough left salvageable that we were able to pay for the expenses of the trip and enough for the Cap'in to have himself a new ship - not quite so good or large as the one he had before, but there y' go.

"And it were in the off-time there I took a real liking to the black, Indian cigarettes, it were. Course, by the time that were done, I'd found myself another vessel to serve on," Shuck continued, his engaging and excited tones of voice drifting into milder ones. "Never one to stick around for long, always jumping ship so I were, always moving from place to place."

"And what of that friend of yours," asked another criminal, "the bear, Reznov?"

"Achternal? Oh, he came wi'h me for a while after that. Taught him a lot o' things I did, closest thing to I son I've had, I guess. Were but a lad when I met him; could't even speak English 'til I taught him."

"You speak Russian?" one of the officers asked.

"Семья моей матери приехала из России; она научила меня."

The small handful of present criminals who could speak Russian chuckled, briefly.

"He didn't stay with me 'til I retired, though," Shuck went on." It were about... oh, five years or so after I met him? I took a little time in the Army, the Merchant Navy - went back to it; were I started off at sixteen that were. Didn't take a liking to it much this time 'round though - don't hold with all uniforms an' parading and smart suits and stuff - but Acktanal, he took a liking to it so he did. Haven't heard from him since we parted back then, but last I knew he were being contacted by the ole Russian Navy to be a - 'eck, what were it now - a... 'Praporschik Michman', it were, a Midship Warrant Officer. Good lad, damn good lad, will've gone far he will."

Behind the iron gates of the Zootopia cells, Shuck Black lent back with a grin, every eyes and all attention upon him and his intriguing stories. Some of the criminals had given him malicious glances as he'd first been lead in, and a few had muttered threatoning words that were only just loud enough for him to hear - but all that had stopped once he'd got his yarns spinning, and now all any of them were thinking about was hearing another story.

 _Like bleedin' children at story time_ , he chuckled to himself. _Ah well, let's spin 'em another yarn, shall we?_

He sat forwards suddenly, every one of the criminals sat around him jolting back in anticipation - even the most 'hardened criminals' of them clearly intrigued to hear more; with only the ones who didn't appear to speak English showing now outwards interest.

"Now," Shuck said, leaning a large, strong paw on his knee, "shall I tells you about the strongest o' the sailors?"

"Yeah," replied everyone around him.

"He's one tough gazookas which hates all palookas which ain't on the ups and square."

"Go on!"

"He biffs em and bops 'em and always out-roughs 'em and none of them gets nowhere."

"Who?"

"He's strong to the finitch, 'cause he eats his spinach: he's Popeye the Sailor Man _mal_ )."


	82. Mercy (and 2-year anniversary!)

The 14th of November, just a few days ago, was, unless I am mistaken in my workings, in fact, the 2-year anniversary of this story! I think I'm right in that statement. If it is (even if it isn't, really) I'd just like to thank everyone for their support; not just to me and Paw in Paw but to everything of the Zootopia community. It's just a really nice community of people, I think, and it's just a fantastic think that it's still very much alive after such a long time; that there are still people finding this story; still people out there looking into more content, more Zootopia and Nick/Judy fluff to see! You - each and every one of you - are keeping this fandom _alive_.

I was trying to think of some way we could celibate - some partly-interactive thing where, I don't know, you'd do an impression of Flo or Shuck or the Lord or something in the description, or make a suggestion for the Lords name, and the winner could get a prize of some sort. I don't know. If anyone's got an idea for what we could do, let me know; I think it'd be nice to do something a bit different to celibate the 2-year anniversary of this story. A lot's happened since I started this; I've progressed and developed as a person and matured emotionally from writing this. I think this story will always bee the bedrock of who I've become. I don't know, I'm rambling now, I'll let you get to the story.

Thanks for reading,  
 _ **Mister Smail**_.

* * *

Hours passed. In Saint Burnard's Hospital, Judy Hopps lay in silent sleep, her breaths slow and shallow and her small wrist encased in a plaster cast and her body wrapped in several places with white bandages bearing blood of dry blood. She was bloody and broken - but stable - and resting, for now, in the darkness and silence that surrounded her.

In another room not far, Jack Savage lay in heavy sedation, a medically educed coma, his breaths no less slow than Judy's were, but deeper; regulated and controlled by a large machine. Pipes lead from his wrist and to a number of pieces of equipment; a nurse standing close by, checking each of them and noting down their results, amid the sterile smell, the beeping and hissing of the equipment all around.

In his own room, Wolfard lay sleeping. Clawhauser, Snarlov, McHorn; many of the officers of the ZPD slept in their beds, fulfilled from a long days hard labor. A few remained awake - some searching minutely the city docs for all possible clues; others standing watch over the criminals locked up in the cells beneath the HQ.

Among their number, only a couple of the most hardened-looking criminals remained awake, though their alertness was declining and they clearly had no intention or chance of breaking out. Even the old dog, Shuck, was sleeping now, snoring heavily as he lay on one of the few available beds; the other mammals having put up no resistance as he'd calmed the space.

Flo slept, in her own apartment, lying on her back with her arms and legs straight by her sides, in the perfectly clean and perfectly tidy room of her bed, her expression clear and her features smooth, her black-rimmed glasses set down on a desk close by.

In another part of the world, though the sun was still in the sky, the Lord of Zistopia lay, curled tightly in upon Himself, in the largest and grandest of his bed chambers - though it made Him feel no better - his sleep shallow and sorrowful, his bitterness at the rabbit's continued survival and the stress of all his plans being held up grating heavily on his mind. Sir Appleby stood watch over him - ever faithful, ever mindful, ever present.

Chief Bogo - his desk crammed with pages, the small light of the desk lap still on - lay with his face flat against the hard wood of the desk, a bundle of pages still in his hand; his every breath threatening to blow a sheet of paper to the floor, but every time it was drawn back onto the tabletop by his returning breath, the cycle continuing as it had done for several hours without end.

The buffalo coughed suddenly, a piece of saliva catching in his throat, causing a brief splutter that sent the single sheet of paper falling from the edge of the table and floating through the air to the floor.

The page fell silently on the floor, beneath the light of the lamp which illuminated the large, gray question mark where an ID photo should've been and the details written beside it. "Name: Unknown. Gender: Male. Age: Mid twenties. Species: Fox. Occupation: Firm Operative, Recruitment. Address: Unknown. Accomplices: Unknown. Distinguishing marks: Unknown. Connected crimes: Unknown. Alias: Too many to know, one may be his real name. Working title: ' _The Fox with the Lightest Touch_ '."

Further detailing on further pages were scattered around the desk - rumors, whispers, theories and wild guesses - but nothing concrete; nothing definitive - many with, stamped on the front most page, the words 'Case Closed'.

Within mumbling distance slept a red fox; a creature of sharp mind and body, whose influence was once felt throughout all the city of Zootopia - retired, now, to the humble career of law enforcement. Not for penance, as such, but for an honest, more selfless life at least.

All mammals slept, their involvement in the web of affairs halted, their jobs paused, abated for a time. The clocks ticked, yet all was still. The hours past, and a shimmer of gold grew upon the line of the horizon.

A field of brown, bare soil came into view, slightly - the sky just starting to lighten with the earth all still dark. From the nearby forest, the birds began their morning chores; flying down from the luscious treetops to the land below, the unturned soil on which they began their hopping and scratching of the earth, search for worms and grubs.

A few found their way into the barn close by and started pecking and feasting on the split grain and seeds; trying to find holes in the dozens of bags of produce that lay about, pecking at the hessian bags for the stock inside.

The side entrance to the barn burst open and a rabbit burst in. "Scat," she called, her arm waving energetically. "Go on, _get_!"

The birds scattered to the winds, the doe's shoulders sagging with early-morning fatigue left over from the recent departure of bed. "Ohh, how many _times_ do I have to tell those kids?" she sighed, pacing over in her dressing gown and picking up a broom. "How many times: 'make sure make sure the window's shut before you lock up'."

With the end of the broom, the rabbit jabbed the hinge of the barn's window and it snapped closed with a reassuring thunk.

"There," she said, leaning on the broom with a paw resting on her hip, "that oughta keep them out."

With a stretch, the doe pushed what sleepy warmth her recently-left bed remained clung to her, and threw down the broom upon the floor with a smile, turning back towards the side entrance and marching back towards the main house with a swing in her arms and a spring in her steps, the door falling closed behind her with the hessian bags of produced (each marked with an ink stamp; the words: 'Hopps Family Farm') safely stored within.

...

Pink dressing gown though she was wearing, Bonnie Hopps marched with the forthrightness of a Sargent Major through the corridors of the Hopps farm (which, while empty now, would be busy with a multitude of rabbits in about an hours time) and entered into the dark bedroom where a sleeping male lye.

"Come on, hon," Bonnie said, crossing over to the lump which lye snoring in the bed and patting it, vigorously.

"Hmmrh? That time already?"

"Yep, another beautiful day!"

Reluctancy to rouse taking full dominion, the buck half-heartedly started pulling himself from the sheets. "Hrrh? What - what're we doing today?"

"Well, since market day 'couple of weeks ago, we've still got a few dozen bags of produce to take down to the village.

"Mh-Market day? But we've _had_ market day!"

The doe put a smile through Stu's sleep-educed ignorance, pushing on cheerfully with: "And now we've got to deliver the stock we've sold, collect the payment, and get everything set up for the next harvest."

Stu sat up slowly and lent back on the head of the bed, his eyes still closed as he rubbed at his ears. "Urh, my ears are numb. Think I slept on them funny."

Pacing brusquely to the closed curtains of the window directly opposite the bed, Bonnie Hopps grasped the curtains and pulled them asunder, allowing the bright light of the rising sun to beam in and-! Except... well, the sun hadn't _actually_ risen yet and was still hidden just below the dark horizon.

Bonnie's nose wrinkled, disappointed in the world in general that it didn't have standards as high as her's when it came to starting early. "Laziness," she sighed; "laziness at every turn."

She turned upon the TV as the next best thing, switching it and and then 'helping' (as in 'forcing') Stu out of bed and into active condition as the light and noise of the television filled the room.

"Bon, I'm up, I'm up!"

"Come on now, Stu, into these."

The rabbit looked bleary at the object of clothing pushed into his paws, gazing at it has he tried to get his vision to clear. "What is it," he mumbled, "pants or shirt? Bon?" Lowering the whatever-it-was, Stu turned towards his wife and saw her frozen posture and her gaze locked on the screen.

Squinting, the buck sleepily managed to get his numb ears to raise, and the muffled sounds and blurred vision cleared to reveal the image of the news channel, and the reporter speaking on the screen.

"-and that it was Officer Judy Hopps - the hero who saved our city a year ago - who was the victim of this most brutal and violent attack, and while the ZPD have failed to issue a statement or speak with any of our reporters at this time, it is now known-~"

"Bonnie? Bonnie, what's going-"

"Put your pants on," the rabbit whispered.

"Bon?"

" _Just put the damn pants on!_ "

...

As the sun climbed higher into the sky - as dawn ingratiated itself upon the sky; as Ra was reborn; as Helios began his journey in his fiery chariot; as the wolves, Skoll and Hati, chased Sól up through the sky - a shaft of light fell upon the face of Nick Wilde.

His eye slowly cracking open, he gazed up blankly, expressionlessly at the ceiling. He felt like shit; there was no polite way of saying it. It felt as though he'd spent the whole of the previous evening drinking and looking into bright lights - his body felt weak and taken with a sense of deep sickness, his eyes were aching as though someone had rubbed gravel into them, and his mind buzzed with a slow, bleakness that refused to shift.

He tried for a moment to sit up in the bed, but the emotional strength refused to come and his arms fell limply by his sides as a thin groan escaped him. His face tightened as the memories of the previous day came, wincing and shutting his eyes tight as the image of the naked, bloodied rabbit he had held in his arms filled his mind.

Wilde had been through many torments in his life; many unhappy moments and many things that left him broken. Some might assume that such would hadron a mammal against other torments though, in this moment, that belief did the fox no good.

His teeth biting down, his face wincing, contorting with pain, a low whimper escaped the fox's body. A piteous sight. A tortured form. In the next room the whimper that had grown to a hushed sob awoke the sleeping buffalo from his mental absence.

Sitting up slowly from his desk, Bogo took the sheet of paper that had stuck to his face and pulled it away, looking nonplussed down at the sheet as he rubbed a paw across his forehead, stretching his back.

He grumbled quietly as he pulled himself to his feet, flinching as his back twinged. "Damn it," he muttered, "Rose told me I had to keep an eye on my posture."

The sound of the fox in the next room stirred the Chief from his self-analysis, a look of panic crossing his face - and trepidation, as he noticed the paperwork all around him, the pages and pages of hearsay and rumors about a certain member of The Firm.

Bogo saw a single page which had fallen to the floor - an identification overview, half of which was the word 'Unknown' - and a single word escaped as a breath from his lips. " _Wilde._ "

In the other room, the fox had regained control from his outburst and now just sat, miserably, on the side of the bed, gazing down disinterestedly at the floor several feet below - his mind on anything but getting dressed.

"Judy," he whispered, wretchedly, "what do I do? What do I _do_?"

 _You keep on fighting,_ he heard her, or rather 'felt' her say; _you keep on pushing and you keep on trying, no matter how hard or bleak things get. The training at the Academy... it's supposed to grind you down, that's how they test what you're really made of. The only way to beat it, to show them you can face up to any danger, that you really can make the world a better place, is to keep on fighting._

 _Show them what you're made of, Slick_ , Judy had shouted, her last words to him as he left for the Academy; as the train door slid closed and as the whistle was blown and the station filled with steam. _Go make me proud!_

The image faded slowly from the fox's mind. It left him dazed, confused, his whole world spinning sickeningly. He breathed a slow breath that shivered from him, the rabbit's words imprinted on his mind.

"It got me through the Academy, Carrots," he said to himself, his voice pained but unfaltering and certain; "It can get me through this, too." _For her sake,_ he thought, the door pulling open and Chief Bogo stepping in, _just as it was back then._

The Chief cleared his throat softly, but failed to draw the fox from the deepness of his thoughts. "Wilde?" Again, nothing. He stepped closer to the fox, his arm slipping beneath the fox and raising him up off the bed, lowering him down on the floor.

It took Nick a moment to find his footing - the Chief holding his weight while his feet scrabbled at the floor dysfunctioningly. When he was able to hold himself upright, he turned up slowly towards the Chief, his emerald eyes meeting steadily with Bogo's. "...thanks."

"Wilde, we erh..." a long moment passed of silence, the Chief's lungful slowly emptying in a drawn out sigh, his conviction and strength appearing to empty with it as his figure slumped a little and his gaze lowered to the floor. "It... doesn't matter. We can talk about it later. For now, let's just ~"

His tail hanging limply on the floor - his expression faintly confused - Nick gazed up at the Chief. "Bogo?"

"You want a shower, Nick? There's... through there. Help yourself, I'll make something to, uh ~"

Grunting, the buffalo turned and left the room, the fox watching after him with a mind that was too overloaded with the events of last night to be able to give any thought to his motives or the subjected of his conversation.

Much of the past few hours felt as though a distant dream, with only moments of intently painful and vivid memories among the faded exhilaration and fears that surrounded it.

He recalled some mention of Clawhauser's presence, and that he'd saved his fur in some way by calling out and distracting the Chief, but the details and the outcome... _Exactly like I spent all last night drinking,_ he thought, _with memory loss and all._

Shortly after, the fox found his way into the Chief's bathroom. It was a massive room, though if he were Bogo's size it would've felt cramped. The room was clean, for the most part, but it was let down by the chipped tiles and low-quality appliances the room was furnished with.

 _Hardly what I expected from a Chief of Police,_ Nick noted, nodding to the Chief to say what he was doing and pulling the bathroom door closed behind him before stripping off his clothes, which were damp with sweat, and putting hanging them on the radiator to dry.

His deep, russet fur bare to the room, the fox stepped into the cubical, crouching onto all fours on the floor before springing up high into the air and clutching on to the part of the shower that was bolted to the wall.

Clutching with his claws to the pipe, Nick turned the dials and started water gushing forth from the shower head, holding onto the pipe with his feet and a paw, turning the temperature with another and using his tail to judge the temperature of the water.

It was a tricky and exhausting process (far more so owing to the psychological conditions under which he was doing them), yet the shower was needed; the opportunity to wash himself beneath a torrent of hot water and to try and scrub away some of the deep sense of wretchedness and fear was looked for like a starving mammal looks for food.

Frustrated by the unsensitivety (and bouts of over-sensitivity) the shower seemed to work with, the fox grunted heavily and jumped down to the floor of the shower, his hackles rising and his shoulders hunching as the icy water drenched his back.

His expression tightened, his breath leaving as a growl and a whimper as his lips pulled back to show his teeth, his eyes pulling tight against the torment of the world and the sharp daggers of cold running all down his back.

A moment past. The daggers of cold softened. At last... life saw fit to bestow some mercy, and the temperature of the water finally crept up until it was warm and soothing.

The fox's breaths shallowing, Nick began to weep, grateful beyond reasoning that fate or chance or whatever governed his life was giving him this small thing. Such a small respite, such a small convenience, but such a pillar; a sign of hope for the fox to cling to. It was a ridiculous thing to think, he knew, but with his emotional state in the mess it was, he took to it, held it, and didn't let it go.

Through the sobs - the tears that were lost to the comforting pleasure of the soft warmth the shower water embraced him with - the shaking figure of the fox managed to speak, his voice uttering the words: "It's all going to be okay... just _maybe_ , it'll all be okay ~"


	83. Sanctuary

It was getting on for ten o'clock when Nick Wilde and his Chief of Police pulled up to a stop outside the Saint Burnard's Hospital car park. They had stopped over at Wilde's apartment, briefly, so the fox could change from his Officer's uniform into something more casual, and Bogo had looked slowly around the apartment - bent double a little in the building designed for medium-sized mammals - as he had changed.

He came back looking clean but somehow dazed, as though he were only half there, and the Chief nodded towards him respectfully as he slipped on his coat and made back towards the door out.

Straight after, they had left for the hospital; leaving the fox sat in the back seat, gazing up at the tall rooftops and multiple, glazed windows of the building.

"Well, Wilde, here we are. For better or worse," Bogo said, while the fox just snorted, his expression falling to the lifeless floor.

"She'll be okay, Nick," the Chief continued. "Rose herself said she would pull through and Flo is a very capable Nurse; I've known her for years, since she was young. You can trust her judgment."

"Can I go in? See her?"

"Sure, Wilde, we can go in." Stepping out from the confines of the massive vehicle, the buffalo walked around to the back and pulled open the door - which would've been too heavy for the fox to move in his current state - and stepped back as Nick jumped down.

"The reception is just this way," Bogo said.

"I know," said Nick, tersely, "I know my way around this city just as well as you do." The buffalo looked down into the stressed and edgey expression of the fox, their gaze holding for a brief instant before the fox paced on ahead towards the entrance to the reception.

Bogo moved to follow in toe, but then a voice from behind caught his attention, and he turned about over his shoulder to spy a white-furred hare walking with a sure-footed walk towards them. The Chief glanced back to the fox, calling out, "Wilde," before turning fully and moving over to meet the hare.

The fox stopped at the sound of his voice... and the sight of the hare - with those long, white ears; that narrow waist; those powerful, strong legs - engraved the image of a similar mammal on his mind. He bit down on his outward reaction to the sight of her: this female whose species bore a lot of resemblance to Judy's, and dragged himself away from the compulsion to continue straight on to the reception; to his rabbit somewhere within the maze of the Hospital.

"Nurse Flo," Bogo greeted, as he came within talking distance of the hare.

"Chief," greeted Flo. "And you must be Mister Wilde?"

"Yeah... erh, yes. We - spoke on the phone?"

"We did."

"Bogo was telling me you took care of Judy; that you were in on the initial examination of her?"

"Shall we walk?" she said, moving past both mammals and towards the main entrance.

"What did you think of her? How - how is she?"

"She has got a number of quite serious-looking abrasions and bruising, and her wrist was dislocated during the conflict, however - morning Kathy, sign these two in please. I'm taking Nick Wilde and Chief Bogo of the ZPD to see Judy Hopps - however... none were especially life-threatening, have been sterilized, stitched up, splinted and should heal up fine in time. The only..."

Sidestepping, the hare held out a paw to signal to the fox and buffalo to move against the wall; the three of them side-stepping as a hospital bed bearing an elderly elephant was pushed past them by a team of struggling mammals.

"The only really worrying result that came about," Flo continued, resuming her role in leading the two males down the various corridors, "was the depressed fracture to the skull."

"God," Nick whispered, "I-"

"It's okay, Nick," Flo said, her voice softening and becoming deeply reassuring, "she's fine. The damage wasn't too severe and the amount of pressure the depression exerted on the cerebral fluid hasn't appeared to have caused any damage to the brain. As far as we can tell, there are no signs of swelling or blood asphyxiation - though, the psychological reputations, such as amnesia or intermittent memory loss, we can't be sure of."

"Well, what will she be like? Will she be awake yet?"

"You've arrived a little earlier than I expected, so I'm not sure if the anesthetic will have worn off yet. My advice would be to take it slow with her: try not to say anything too... 'emotional'. Try to avoid statements such as 'I'm so glad you're alive'. Such can be, shall we say, distressing to mammals who've only just woken up from an anesthetic-induced sleep."

"Then what should I say?"

"Just reassure her. Avoid the words 'it's going to be okay', and just let her know that you're there with her, that she's in hospital, and that she's safe. Try to keep the conversation light if she tries to start a discourse with you; otherwise, just continue to be a familiar face she can look to for support."

The fox's walking slowed down to a pause, his head nodding softly as he processed the hare's instructions. "Right. Alright, thank you."

The hare turned and looked up into the fox's face. A small smile appeared on her expression. "Most likely, she'll just be glad to see you. This will have been a frightening experience for her if she remembers what happened last night; double more so if she has amnesia and can't remember any of it.

"They do wonderful work here," she continued, pacing to a door further down the corridor, "but in truth, a hospital is the worst place in the world to wake up in when you don't know what's going on: it's bright, it's noisy, it smells strange and there are strangers walking about in the same room you were sleeping in. If you can be in there when she wakes up," she added, stopping at last, and gesturing to the door before them, "that alone will be a big help in reassuring her."

"Thanks, Nurse. Really... thanks."

Rose nodded her head towards him, a thin smile upon her features as she gazed up towards the nervous wreck of fox, who kept his anxiety only just under control under a veil of calm. Reaching out a paw, the hare pushed it against the door, swinging it open; relieving the occupied bed that lay inside.

...

…

The room wasn't dark nor dimly lit, for the two tall windows, on either side of the large bed, let in the light of the sun rising behind them, splaying out the shape of two massive boxes of light on the floor, where the sun's smile shone through the windows; the shapes elongated and massive, giving view to the bleak surrounding husk of floor that hungered underneath the large bed cold within the sterility of the room, which suffused in the last suffocating elements of gloom within, suffocation wherein the middle was a small lump - a small lump laying still inside the center of the imperialistic size of rest.

His breath held tight in his chest, his heart still, his every bodily function frozen by fear and by anticipation, the fox took a single step into that bright, chill room.

Bogo and Flo stood waiting by the door, both watching, unmovingly, as the fox crossed the polished floor.

The fox took a shivering breath. It felt as though the bed were a thousand miles away; like the white walls of the room stretched off into infinity; like time had slowed to a fifth its usual speed; like gravity, like air itself had fled the room, leaving him feeling like an spacemammal in deep space - lost in a dicalite, empty wilderness; cut off from all exterior life.

He moved onwards, closer towards the bed, though with every step he took he felt like he was getting further away. His vision blurred and his body shook, and his heart suddenly jerked from feeling as though it were frozen to beating furiously in his chest.

A cold shiver ran through him. His lungs gasped for air. His fur stood on end, his ears were flat against his head... and all the while, his eyes did not for a second, move away from the small shape the white lump of sheets in the bed.

In time - an amount of time which felt like an eternity to the fox, and was as exhausting to his body and mind as running a hundred miles - the figure of Nick Wilde reached the edge of the white, hospital bed.

He licked his lips, his throat dry. He took a slow, shivering breath. He reached out cautiously, delicately, flinchingly towards the edge of those white sheets, and his dark-red paws and black-clawed fingers gripped the edge of the sheet. He pulled back slowly... and gazed down, deeply, unmovingly, upon the sleeping face of the rabbit; upon the face of Judy Hopps.

Nothing moved - not a blink, not a breath, not the twitch of an eye nor ear. The fox stood motionless over the rabbit's body, watching intently her every move; seeing the slightest twitching of her nose and the slow rise and fall of her chest.

He looked upon the bandage wrapped around her head which was speckled in several places with dry blood. He took in the scratches, the small cuts and bruises upon her face and found that, for all that - for all the bruises, for all the small cuts and the bloodied bandage around her head - she still, to the fox's eye, looked peaceful.

She looked beautiful.

The fox's eyes fell closed, his lungs filling with air at the sensation of hope returning to his heart. The sigh left him slowly, and left him feeling a dizzy kind of bliss as his eyes opened again and he found Judy still there beneath the sheets - still alive, still resting... and still the rabbit, the female he loved.

Nick fell down upon his knees, a thin and weeping smile spreading across his face, tears falling slowly as he reached across between them and slipped his fingers into her's - touching delicately the fingers of the paw with the broken wrist which lay above the sheets.

"I'm here for ya, Carrots," he whispered, a fond smile growing. "You take as long as you need to get better, I'm not ever gonna let you go."

A twitch played out across the rabbit's features at those words, and her breathing changed as her mind dragged itself out of the deep, anesthesia-induced sleep. The fox's ears pricked up instantly, and his head raised and his eyes drew open, to gaze upon the soft face of the rabbit - the bruised, bandaged but beautiful face - as her eyes twitched and her shoulders raised.

Nick's expression resolved, the worry clearing and his fears fading as her eyes pulled open, slowly, sleepily, as though they were held shut by a great weight, and that the effort of pulling them open was nigh insurmountable.

The moment they pulled open - the instant those amethysts were there in the fox's vision - the fox drew his paws carefully around Judy's shoulders, burying his face close against the rabbit's as he held himself close against her.

"Carrots... Carrots, I'm so glad you're awake, I've been... I've ~"

Sensing no movement, the fox drew his head back from being buried in her warmth; at seeing her face, his words had faded into nothing. Her eyes. Her features.

The fears started to return, and a vague feeling of sickness grew in the fox's mind as he pulled his arms away and spoke carefully into the rabbit's ear: "Judy?" There was nothing directly wrong, per se, but... her eyes. Her shining amethysts: the light was no longer in them, her fires had been extinguished; and her expression was unmoved and perfectly neutral as she gazed up blankly at the ceiling.

"Judy. Judy, can you hear me?"

Flo appeared instantly at the fox's side, leaning over the bed and clicking her fingers in front of the rabbit's flinched, and her expression changed. While it did still retain an element of being worryingly neutral, a look of distant worry did appear on her features as her eyes focused on the fox's face.

"Judy?"

Her expression didn't change, didn't flinch but for the slightest raising of a brow, as she gazed straight at Nick's face - partly looking at him; partly looking through him, as though only half aware he was even there.

Reaching down once again, the fox slipped his fingers in amongst hers.

It took several seconds - several long, painful seconds for the fox to endure - but, in time, the rabbit's small, soft paw did close around Nick's, and Judy's gaze lowered and her eyes fell closed.

His mind swimming thick with doubts, Wilde lent down slowly until his face was levels with Hopps', his paw holding hers tightly as he spoke in soft and warm tones: "Carrots? You hear me?"

As before, it took a few seconds for a reaction to come, but the rabbit's head nodded, though her eyes didn't open and her ears didn't twitch.

"How're you feeling?" he asked, cautiously.

No reaction at all that time.

"Can I get you anything? If there's anything at all I can do..."

"Let me sleep," she rasped.

"You want me to-" the fox stated, moving to pull his paw away. The rabbit's fingers tightened suddenly around his, and her eyes pulled open and gazed sleepily towards Nick.

"Stay, I need-"

"I'll stay, Judy, I'll stay, don't you worry about a thing, I'm not going anywhere, my Carrots, I promise."

Her gaze held loosely for a few seconds longer, and her mouth opened as though trying to speak. Her chest fell in an exhausted sigh, the hold of her paw lost all strength and her eyes fell deeply closed.

The fox turned to Flo slowly, his brow raised - worried, questioning - as the rabbit's breaths evened out again and sleep took her once more. The hare turned towards him, biting on her claw thoughtfully.

"It's difficult to make an accurate prognosis at this time," she stated. "All signs are positive at the moment: she spoke; she seemed to know who you were - or at least was aware she knew you; and showed a healthy level of conscious decision-making considering her current state. My advice for now: let her sleep."

"Do I... can I stay here?"

Flo nodded. "I'll check back every twenty minutes or so - I have many other patients to look after. As the anesthetic starts to wear off, she should start waking up more often and becoming more alert. When she awakes, try to engage in some simple conversation - nothing too deep, just small talk, empty phatics - to help stimulate and encourage her conscious mind back into order."

"What can I be expecting? Any amnesia?"

"Definitely - to begin with, at least, it's a side effect of a general anesthetic. You can ask her some non-specific questions about what may have happened, not mentioning anything related to the attack, to test her long-term memory, which should return quickly as the final effects of the drugs wear off."

"And her short-term memories? Last night?"

Flo's brows raising in a micro-shrug, the hair glanced off to the side, her paws slipping into her white coat pockets. "That depends on a great deal of variables - the exact extent of damage to the brain, the level of emotional trauma caused by the attack; even her own mental state prior to the experience factors into it. Either way, it'll be at least several hours before she will be able to recall anything that happened back then. Take that as a respite, Mister Wilde, this is the happiest she's going to be for a while, I judge. After today, she's going to start getting flashbacks; likely PTSD, if you know anything about that."

"I know about that, alright, I'm experienced in that field."

"I've already arranged counseling for them both," Bogo said, the two mammals turning towards the large mammal as he spoke.

"Both?" said Flo.

"Mister Wilde here is romantically affiliated with Miss Hopps," he said, openly. "Her current state has shaken his system far more than he's outwardly showing."

The hare's brow raised quizzically, turning up towards the fox and regarding with her sharp blue eyes. After a few seconds, a thin smile crossed her features, her gaze still set upon him. The Chief cleared his throat. "If you don't mind, Nurse Flo, I'd like to go and see Jack now. Is that possible?"

"There's not much to see," Flo said, pacing away from the fox and towards the door, "but there's no issue in going in to see him at this current time."

"I trust you have all the paperwork in order?"

"I do. Oh," she added, as she reached the door, "speaking of paperwork, the mammal who fired a shot at Wolfard during the raid - the badger? He passed on last night."

The Chief grimaced. "I see."

"He was under the effects of hallucinogenic substances; it reduced his body's ability to-"

Flo's voice fell silent to the fox as the door fell closed. Turning slowly back towards the sleeping rabbit - his paw still held in her's - a long, thin breath escaped him.

His expression weakening, his lips twitching, Nick climbed up onto the large bed, beside the sleeping shape of the rabbit, and wrapped himself - his tail, his arm, his leg - carefully, protectively around Judy's small frame. He held her, warmed her; engulfed her in his scent. In truth, he knew, there was little more he could presently do.


	84. Remission

I will keep on writing this story - for twenty years, if it needs it, though I'm hoping I'll have it done some time long before then. The chapters may be only short sometimes or they may take a while to be made, but I've got a life to set up; foundations for the future which have to be built. If money was no issue, though, I genuinely would spend most of my time just writing. Hm, that would be nice, actually. That would be really nice.

* * *

A lifeless figure lay motionless upon the dull-white sheets of a bed. The figure itself looked as though it was sleeping, although, in truth, it was something much more like death. The tubes and bandages and beeps and hisses of breathing apparatus was a strong indication of the thinness of the knife upon which the 'sleeping' rabbit walked.

The door swung open, in on this dull-gray room, and two other figures appeared outside - their figures backlit bright by the sterilized-white corridors outside.

One of them released a long, uneasy sigh. "What're his chances?"

The female didn't respond, just turned and looked up with impassive, sharp blue eyes.

Bogo paced in, slowing to a stop beside the jackrabbit's bed, his expression grim, his stance heavily afflicted by surfacing anxiety. "What's his condition?"

"Large but shallow cuts across the chest; lower back damage; heavy respiratory damage; burns on the paws; multiple facial cuts; strangulation leading to acute oxygen deficiency to the brain; possible brain damage as a result; dislocated leg; serious blood-loss and hypovolemic shock.

"Damn."

"We've put him in a coma. It's about the best chance he's got."

"Can he hear us?"

Flo shrugged, just a little. "It depends. There's no way of telling for sure. Some mammals can hear things, some mammals either can't hear at all or don't remember once they wake. It's like trying to remember a dream, by what I can tell: it can be vague, vivid, random and logicless or as close to reality as real life. We'll only know once he wakes. If he wakes."

Bogo nodded, his mind running thick with unsurety. "Is there anything I can-"

"Nothing. It's a waiting game now. I'll do what I can, but... well, it's all in the paws of the dice, now." Flo crossed her paws delicately across her chest. "Would you like me to leave the two of you alone?"

"No, erh - I've gotta get back to the HQ. There's a couple of vans from Blackheath coming, I need to oversee the transfer."

"What will you do about the deceased convict from the raid?"

"Hope no one asks too many questions."

"They will."

"I know," he huffed, "I know. Take care of Wilde for me; keep an eye on him, will you?"

"As often as I can."

...

...

...

A hot zip of searing red pain rocketed up the back of Judy's spine. The rabbit's face contorted and she tried to sit up in impulse, her eyes shooting open with a jolt. She gritted her teeth and made a terrible sound, with the back of her neck, as the movement caused a dull sensation of muted agony all across her limbs, leaving her fingers and toes tingling with incandescent heat.

She pushed herself flat-hard against the mattress of the bed to try and subdue the pain, her face contorted, tight; her eyes closed; her teeth exposed behind a grimace.

The fox beside her awoke with a start, his heart pounding in his chest with sudden fear at the rabbit's outcry, his eyes wide, gazing at the rabbit as she pushed herself flat against the mattress, sitting up hurriedly once his body had caught up with his mind, and moving his paws out towards the precious rabbit.

"Judy-Judy-Judy," he hissed, softly, "you're okay, it's okay, you're gonna be fine." Hopps managed to make one eye open slowly as Nick's paw gently stroked the side of her cheek, the other eye still closed tight in pain. "Hey bun-bun," he breathed, his voice a whisper. "Hey, Jules. You in there?"

The rabbit licked her dry, dry lips. "Eyh - euh - course I'm here." The act of speaking seemed to exhaust the rabbit, and her eyelids drifted down, until they were almost closed again and her breathing deepened to slow, deep breaths.

"How... well," he sighed, "I guess 'how are you feeling' is a dumb question to ask, but... how're you feeling?"

"I feel like I've been drugged. Everything's blurry, vague." She lay and considered for a short while. "I'm in hospital?"

"Yeah. Yeah, Carrots, you had a..." His chest tightening, the fox's words failed him, a hotness prickling in the corners of his eyes. "You - it was-"

"Nick, could... do you think you could help me sit up?"

"Of course, hon, of course I'll help; I'll give you as much help as you need to get better." The fox reached out gently and put a supporting paw on the rabbit's back, allowing her to hold onto his free paw and push herself against it. Pulling herself slowly higher on the bed, her face showed obvious signs of discomfort, but she managed the pain, with the fox's help, and pulled herself up into a more comfortable position.

"So," she began carefully, her voice dry and rasped. She paused for a long moment and just breathed slowly, gazing out at the far wall. "What happened?"

"You remember anything?"

"There was... Jack, I was at the café with Jack. You were breaking - Fin? - out of his cell. We..." her eyes closing, the rabbit tried to focus on the previous night's activities. "There was... concrete, it was damp and cold, smelt of salt. I remember being chased, there was... blood, and Jack was... and there was... there... was-"

Her eyes widened. An image lept into the rabbit's mind - a sharp flash of snarling white, which appeared like a lightning crack. She reacted like she'd been whipped, her breath gasping and her whole body jerking with shock, as she pulled herself back from those memories, the fox leaning quickly in close to and around her, his soft warmth and familiar scent helping soothe the sudden image of horror that had vividly entered her.

The fox's voice became a string of soothing hushes, his hug becoming a little tighter around her as she panted in shock and fear, his tail resting soothingly on her body, as his paws moved delicately around her head.

Judy whimpered as she held her head against the fox's shoulder. "What happened?" she muttered into his ear. "What happened to me?"

The fox sat quiet for some moments, just breathing Judy's scent. He grunted to himself, frustration bubbling. He wanted to tell here that there was an accident, be as vague about all other details, but his promise to her to tell the truth, it stung him hot in his mind. "I... I'll tell you about it later, Carrots. Just rest for now, just rest."

Judy considered this slowly. "Can you at least tell me what's wrong with me?"

"It's erh, well..." Nick drew himself back and gazed softly at the rabbit, whose head was bandaged all around, with her ears sticking out of the top. "You're going to be okay, Judy. That's all that matters."

"Jack?"

"He's here, he's in hospital too."

Judy's expression held for a few moments longer. She closed her eyes, exhaustion written all across her face, and rubbed at her closed lids with her paw. "He... he was injured, badly, wasn't he? Killed, nearly? There was... there was a - a group of them, and, a boat. We had to..."

Nick looked on sadly, his expression falling further and further. He wanted to stop Judy, stop her from thinking about that night, keep her from remembering what had passed, but at the same time, within the repository of her mind, those reaches of aspiration and zeal that had transpired between them both, the moments shared together in heat and cold, in tiredness and gloom, in affection and warmth, in closeness and understanding… in need. Those were the moments that kept him moving forward, those were the key points that were making him forsake the pain of the past and gave him sight to the future ahead.

He knew the darkness. He knew what it felt like. It wasn't a good thing to go through - not a nice plase to be in - but he knew, through all that, it had made him stronger in the end. If she was to be robbed of all that, how was she to develop as a person? How was she to grow, mature, if not by experiencing these things? Who was he to say that she was too innocent, to young, too weak to have these memories?

It would've been speciesist. The same speciesism both he and she detested and fought against all their lives. She wasn't the innocent, nieve little bunny she was when they met, after all.

"I remember... I remember a big, white wolf, with, these teeth and, an- these eyes that..." Her expression clearing, Judy turned towards the fox. Nick saw her lip start to wobble and pushed himself close against her as her breaths turned deep.

"H- he, he tried to- rh - ra-"

"Judy, Judy, shh. I know, Judy, I'm sorry, I'm sorry I wasn't there, I should've been, I should've stayed with you, I knew you were in danger, I knew someone was after you, it was Finnick who...no. No, I stayed back and tried to save myself when I should've been there with you."

Nick sighed bitterly, biting his tongue from saying more - this wasn't what Judy should be listening to, not in her condition. His voice trailed off to silence and the two of them sat quietly for a few, slow minutes, the room quiet, the air still.

"He was savage," Judy blurted, from nowhere.

Nick looked up, his eyes opening and gazing down upon the rabbit - her expression distant, her eyes straining to stay open. "Savage?"

Hopps nodded. "His eyes. Slitted."

"I saw, Judy... yeah, I saw."

Her straining eyes opened with surprise. "You saw it?"

"Briefly. I was the first on the scene - first one to arrive at the harbor - and, I was just going inside the, erh... inside where I found you, and this wolf lept out, overpowered me instantly. Damn massive thing! Like no wolf I've seen before. Probably could've beaten Bogo in an arm wrestle."

"What happened?"

"I... I don't know," Nick said, impassively. "His teeth bore down on over me, he looked right into my eyes, and then, he was just... gone. It wasn't the police who frightened him away, all he would've needed was a split second and I would've been straight-up dead. It was strange. It was like, I startled him with how I looked. He would've lept at me without even thinking, but when his gaze lingered on me, just..."

A long moment of silence thought passed. Behind them, the door slowly swung open and the figure of Chief Bogo came into view. Judy didn't notice him, but Nick glanced over his shoulder and nodded a little - the Chief waiting silently from the doorway.

"Nick."

"Yes, Judy?"

"That ship, that's why we were there, wasn't it? Me and Jack, I mean."

"Yeah. Yeah, it was."

"Was the PD able to intercept it?"

"Don't worry, Carrots. Don't worry about the-"

"I want to know," she said, meekly, "I want to know if it was worth it."

"They got 'em, Hopps. Don't you worry."

Despite everything, the thin crack of a smile appeared on the rabbit's face as her expression started to clear and her breathing slowed. "That's good," she breathed. "Jack's tracking device worked then."

"...the what?"

Judy pulled her eyes open just a tiny fraction once again, and saw the fox with one ear flat against his head; the other raised in questioning. "He had a gun in the back of his van. We were there, there to shoot it at the boat, but, now that I come to... I'm not sure it was even-. Heh, gave that wolf a nasty shock, at least."

"The wolf? What'd you mean, Carrots? Hopps?"

The rabbit's head came to rest softly against the white pillow, her expression becoming gentle, untroubled almost, as she gazed, with closed eyes, up at the ceiling.

Wilde slowly drew his arms back from around the rabbit's body. He stood, and paced over to where the Chief stood.

"How is she?"

"She, erh..." he sighed a low sigh, turning back towards the female sleeping not far off. "I don't know, Chief. She's still in there, she's still Judy - even got a smile out of her when I told her those gang members had been caught - but, well, with what she's been through..."

"We both know what it's like, Wilde, to live through horror. There were many reasons why I didn't want this rabbit to become an officer; one of them was because I knew that, sooner or later, some criminal was going to try and... anyway. She has strength. She still surpasses my expectations from time to time. She'll pull through, I'm sure of it."

"Chief, she mentioned something about some tracking device, something Jack had."

"I am... aware, that he keeps a small selection of specialist equipment in his car, yes."

"If you've got any way of finding out where it is, it might be worth a look."

"What've you found?"

"Don't know, yet, but... she mentioned something about getting the wolf with it. The one who attacked us?"

"Curious," Bogo said, simply. "Its usual design is to attach to the side of cars or other such vehicles, but... I'll look into it."

"Can I hel-"

"No! You're staying here, Wilde; you're looking after Hopps."

"I want to help, I want to get back at whoever's behind this!"

"Wilde, I - I'll keep you informed. That's all I'm prepared to do at this time. I need to get back to the HQ and facilitate the transport and - and I'll, erh..." Bogo glanced both ways, up and down the corridor outside. "I'll, make sure a certain fennec slips through the net."

Reacting as as though stunned, Nick's eyes shot wide. "You'll - really?"

Bogo's face remained stoney and impassive.

"Bu - but how?"

"I'm the Chief, Wilde, the Chief. I'll find a way. The Murder Investigation Bureau will be contacting me with their report, soon. I'll go through the evidence and the findings, look into the tracking device and see if that leads anywhere, and come back here to let you know what's been found.

"In the meantime, Wilde, you will not leave this building; you will not leave this room except to use the lavatory."

"What?"

"There're still some serious questions I need to ask you; things you need to answer. I trust you, Wilde," he added, his voice softening, "but you must make my trust in you justified; you must be honest with me - about Scarlett; about The Firm. I'll see you later, Wilde." He looked over the fox's shoulder and nodded towards where Judy lay. "I know you'll be here."

The door swung shut smoothly, and the russet-furred fox stood gazing up at the large sheet of white-painted wood. He turned slowly to the rabbit behind him, looked up at the door, looked back... and walked slowly, evenly back to Judy's bedside.


	85. Formal Diligence

Three great, black vans drove through the streets of Zootopia - as slow as silence, ominous as a storm and as final as a hearse. The glass was tinted black and bullet proof. The wheels were reinforced and with enough tread to traverse a frozen lake. The long, tall containers they carried on their backs were polished to a fine shine, and black all over, but for a thin band of gold at the top and the bottom; and the insignia, the coat of arms of Blackheath Prison on their sides.

The insignia was of strong and stark design. Upon a loud, white circle, _'ZZ'_ was written in sharp, black lettering - striking and imposing and imperious. The size and boldness  
of the motif, its monochromatic simplicity, instantly caught and held the gaze and the attention of all who would glance upon it.

The officers of the ZPD stood silently to attention, Chief Bogo waiting with his arms crossed and his muzzle in a grimace as he fretted. A moment of static passed on his radio, and then an almost robotically cold and professional male's voice spoke out: "Zulu Papa Delta, this is Bravo Hotel Papa armored convoy, we are inbound, two minutes ETA."

"Contact received," spoke Bogo, radio to his lips. "We're ready for you, Blackheath."

"Sir yes Sir."

The Chief turned towards one of the officers and whistled sharply. The officer glanced momentarily towards his Chief, then pressed a button in the small control room the officer resided within, activating the front gate into the ZPD car park; raising it slowly into the air. Clearing his throat, Bogo stood a little more to attention. A low rumbling grew in the ears of the surrounding mammals. A few moments later, the tops of large, black boxes appeared into view over the wall of the car park. The officers watched it, their bodies motionless, as those large, black trucks pushed their way imperiously to a stop inside.

Bogo bit down on his lip, waving a finger towards the officer in the control booth who lowered the outer gates down again. "Chief Bogo," called a mammal - an aging, yet elegant red deer - as she climbed down from the side of the front-most of the vans.

"Miss Wright. So happy to see you. What brings you to our humble police station?"

"This was all explained in my brief, Harold," she said in her dry, rollingly-elegant voice. "But for the sake of your memory, and by excuse of the fact your attention may well be elsewhere at this present moment, I will give you the liberty of repeating that I am here owing to consigns around the procedures that entailed last night's attack on Miss Judith Laverne Hopps."

"Yes, Director Wright, I am aware of who was attacked. I was just wondering why you're here so quick, the official report hasn't even been filed yet; I'm surprised you-"

Stopping, the deer turned upon the larger mammal, swiftly. "Bogo dear chap," she said, kindly, "I am Surveyor Director for the Department of State Security, of _course_ I know! Zootopia is the wealthiest, most prosperous city in all of Zoophon, and we're not having you making an arse of it."

"Miss Wright-"

"We will discuss this further in your office, Harold," she cut in with her large, sweeping voice, raising a hoof and touching her brass and ruby necklace. "I will be expecting full documentation on all movements and activities of all officers in the past forty-eight hours."

"Yes, Director Wright."

"I'll also expect to see your warrant application," she added lightly, pacing away. "I'm intrigued as to how you attained enough evidence on the establishment _Erkin Electrical Enterprises_ to have a warrant justified."*

"Urhmm."

"Is there a problem?" she stated.

"Nh- _no_ , Director Wright."

"I sincerely hope not."

"I'm sure you will find everything perfectly in order. Was there anything else you needed?"

"As a matter of fact, yes. A glass of lavender tea, if you would be so kind."

"Erm. Lavender?"

Without turning, the red deer slipped her red satin hoofbag from her shoulder and thrust it into Bogo's paws, leaving him fumbling to catch hold of it as she marched directly into the ZPD, moving sharply towards the front desk, the receptionist stand-in smiling politely.

"Good mor-"

"Surveyor Director Evie Wright of the Department of Sate Security, here to investigate consigns about the actions, failures and possible shortcomings of the Chief of Police. My badge, my identification and letter of governmental approval for legal access to all files, witnesses, staff, crime scenes and records without reactivation for the duration of my investigation and assessment are in my bag, the Chief will sign me in, I have other things to be doing. Good morning."

She marched away as quickly as she had come, her blue silk dress-jacket shimmering in the light as she marched off through the corridors with more sense of purpose and vocation than a steam train following its pre-determined rails.

"Miss Wright?" Bogo called down the corridor as she disappeared.

"Make on with your duties, Harold. I'll show myself around."

The Chief gritted his teeth. He had to get Finnick out, but how to do so now that his every move was going to be noticed, recorded, timed, dated, filed and cross examined...?

"One more day," he sighed. "Just one more day and it all would've been-"

"Sir?"

The Chief smoldered towards the receptionist. "Why don't you clean something. We're under inspection for fuck sake."

"Urh, yes, Sir!"

"And get in touch with someone down at the crime scene at the docks."

"At once, Sir."

"There'll be a small box in the back of Ja- in the back of the black car at the front gate. It'll most likely be open and empty on the back passenger seat. There'll be a twelve-digit code written on a slip of card attached to the inside of the lid. Find out what that number is and get it to me A-Sap."

...

"And just raise your other arm for me, please?" The hare noted something down. "Good. Now, I need to listen to your heartbeat. I have a stethoscope here; I'm going to place it against your chest but it might feel cold to start with. Okay?"

Judy nodded, her movements slow and weak. Flo put the earpieces of the stethoscope into her ears and put the other end against the rabbit's chest, looking down upon the watch, which was a part of the nurse uniform, and counting heartbeats under her breath.

"Just one final test," she added, taking up a small, cloths-peg-like device from a stainless steel table, taking Judy's good paw and attaching it to the end of one of her fingers. "This is going to take your blood pressure, Miss Hopps. We need to find out if a blood transfusion will be necessary or if your body has started regenerating its lost blood."

"Okay. Th- thank you."

A few moments later, Nurse Flo took the pulse oximeter off Judy's finger, penning down more notes on her clipboard before tucking it under her arm, and looked back towards the rabbit, a reassuring smile on her face.

"Excellent. It's early days and, naturally, you're a long way from recovering either fully or enough to leave this hospital, but all the early signals indicate an early recovery. It's her advanced metabolism," she added, turning to Nick. "It allows her body to work and repair itself much faster than the average mammal. I estimate - loosely, and barring any exceptional circumstances or further complications - that we'll be able to let her out from here in a few months."

"Complications?" said Nick. "Like what?"

Flo glanced down to the rabbit, looking back towards Nick and nodding towards the door, walking away and allowing Nick to follow; turning to him once they were some distance away. "Her broken wrist should recover fine, her cuts and bruises are painful but of no real threat; the _real_ consign is the trauma to her head - both physical and psychological. She was attacked very viciously. That will take a long time to recover from, if she does, and the psychological stresses can severely disrupt other bodily functions and negatively affect her recovery."

"Wait, she's not getting any counseling for it?"

"Of course, Nick, but counseling is only the foundation for psychological recovery - an hour or two of what is an all-consuming process. In earnestness, we need to get her out of here as soon as she's recovered enough to do so. If she has a family or a place she used to live - anywhere she has strong, happy memories - it is imperative that either you or someone close to her takes her there and allows her to spend the remainder of her recovery time there."

"Okay. Okay, I know where she can go, I'll take her down to the Hopps Farm and see if her family will take care of her for a while. That'd probably be the best idea."

Flo nodded. "Just be aware, there is a small chance she may regress back to her childhood. It isn't a large risk, but if she has everything done for her like a kid, she might start thinking that she is one."

"Heck. Really?"

"A small chance, as I said. So long as you make sure she takes care of _herself_ as much as she is physically able to, there won't be a problem in that particular area."

A few slow moments passed of the fox's gaze lowering to the floor. Aware, always, that her time was valuable and overpacked with tasks, Nurse Flo cleared her throat softly and said: "I'll be checking in on her as often as I'm able. You're free to leave this hospital if you wish. Remaining here is an option as well."

"Erm... thanks, Nurse. Thanks."

"Since Miss Hopps is no longer in a critical condition, I'm obliged to inform the reception that she's now open to visitors. You're welcome to stay for now. I'll be back soon."

The fox watched the hare as she went, his ear twitching at the click of the door moving into place. He turned back towards Judy as she lay on the bed, sighed softly, and slipped his muzzle down into the space between her neck and shoulder.

...

At the edge of the Zootopia docks, a black car sat devoid of life outside the main gates. The seats were of a dark synthetic leather, the floor clean, the windows polished to a shine. A small black box lay on one of the back seats, made from brittle plastic with a large clip keeping it firmly closed.

Footsteps approached from outside the car. A paw reached out and tried the handle. The door pulled open on sturdy hinges, and the face of a tiger appeared at the back door, leaning down to look into the rabbit-sized car.

"Where are ya then you little- ah!" said Officer Jefferson, spying the black box and reaching out an arm into the car, taking the handle of the box and pulling it out towards the door, standing with it in his paws and placing it upon the roof of the car.

"Now then, now then, jigger-de-jig." He turned the box around, found the large latch, and flipped the lid. His tongue peeking between his teeth as he scanned the contents of the box, the tiger found the twelve-digit code on the lid, pulling his radio to his mouth and saying, "Hey, PD?"

"Officer Howlitz here. Is that you, Jefferson?"

"Yeah. I got that code the Chief wanted."

"Let me get a pen. Okay, read it out to me." The tiger read the number out to the wolf who scribbled down digit after digit onto the slip of paper he put upon the desk. "Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Okay. Yep. Okay. That all of it? Okay, thanks Jefferson. I'll send this right on over to the Chief."

" 'K, pall," said the tiger as he leaned up against the low body of the car. "Better let him know ole Leo's found some interesting little details he wants to chew on Bogo's ear about. He's just finishing up the report now - stubborn fool, gotta photograph _every-damn-thing_ he sees. Back later. Chao."

...

With the unstopping fury of a brooding storm, two rabbits burst forth from the opening doors of the yellow train they rode on. Barging past the nervous - though far larger mammals who were trying to escape the silent hotness of fear and tension the two small creatures had created - Stu and Bonny marched with ferocious drive to the closest taxi, boarding via the open door a luggage-laden ocelot had opened for himself, leaving him shouting and shaking his fist as the now occupied taxi pulled away.

No words were spoken between the doe and the buck; only tense glances between one and the other, and the silent understanding of the turn of events that had lead them here today.

The cabby knew better than to try and make casual conversation, knew better than to take the rabbits on a round-about tour of the city to bump up his fee, and made swiftly and quietly with all possible haste towards their stated destination.

...

A beige-gray mammal moved quietly down the long and busy alleys of Saint Bernard's Hospital. It padded its way along the shining, white walls and disinfected floors and came to stop at a tall, bland door.

Inside, a rabbit lay sleeping deeply; a fox sat just beside her, looking down carefully, protectively and yet fondly at her sleeping form.

The door opened a small crack, and the muzzle of a beige-gray timber wolf appeared around the side. The door creaked as it opened, and at this sound the fox's ears pricked up, his head turning with a raised brow over his shoulder.

"Wolfard?" he asked, his voice a mere mutter so as not to wake the sleeping rabbit beside him.

"Oh - oh, sorry, I'll-"

"No!" Nick said, standing and making towards him. "No-no, stay, it's erh... it's good to see you. I heard you'd been shot at. How're you now?"

"Bruised, a little sore, but c'mon, it's not me who's needed surgery."

Both canidae turned together to face the slumbering rabbit behind them, Wolfard's paw raising slowly to his muzzle in sorrow for what he saw. "How is she?" he asked, his voice a whisper. "Will she - is she going to-"

"She'll recover. Eventually. I guess."

"She's got bandages around her head, is her mind all still..."

"I, erh - I think so, as far as we know. I mean, she's been awake, even spoke to me a couple of times, but, I don't know, it was like she was only half there. I guess I shouldn't be surprised - I'm still just overjoyed she's alive," he added, flatly, " - after what she's gone through, I shouldn't be surprised she's not acting herself."

Wolfard looked across at him unsurely, aware that it was Nick, just as much as Judy, who was not feeling himself. He reached out a paw slowly to the fox, touching his paw on Nick's russet arm. "What about _you_ , though?"

The fox turned up towards a little, his expression meeting blearily with the wolf's. "How am I? Heh..." his eyes falling closed, his gaze returned ahead of him... "I've made it through worse before. You already know about the - well, that I was involved in a raid before now, and not on the side of the cops."

Wolfard nodded. "You've been through a lot," he said. "Yeah, I can see that. Underneath your playfulness and your charm... there's a lot of darkness and heaviness under that."

After several moments of silence, the wolf turned back towards the fox, finding him with his eyes still closed and his head lowered as though to gaze upon the floor.

Wolfard stepped closer, reaching a paw slowly out between them and touching it, carefully, upon Nick's back, surprised by the his reaction - as though his body just partially collapsed into him - finding himself with a fox leaning his weight against him, his expression tight and his eyes closed.

It wasn't long until Nick pulled himself away and paced to gaze out of the window, but one which was of surprising comfort to the fox - even as his damaged little bun lay sleeping beside him, for her body was healing and her heart undefiled - it still was well appreciated the steps Jim had done, and Nick put his paw around his neck to pull him closer towards him.

"Thanks, Wool," he muttered, softly, his gaze fixed on the view outside, on the apartments and businesses, from the splendid to the squalid, the pure and the putrid, and all that lay in between.

...

"Chief?" crackled Bogo's radio, the buffalo taking it for his belt and raising it to his ear. "Director Wright says she's ready to see you now."

A pang of anger flared up in the Chief's mind - the same anger a child who believes himself grown-up enough to be above the commands of their parents' wishes when told to go to bed - as he stated his reply. "Well I'm not ready for her. She wants documentation on all the movements of all staff in the past forty-eight hours? Give her to them. Starting from the toilet-cleaning staff, then moving to the janitors, Auxiliary officers, non-police-action officers, officers-in-training, Junior staff, staff who had no involvement in last night's case and, lastly - and be sure it's lastly - the officers who were involved in last night's raid."

"Yes, Sir. At once, Sir."

"Heh, and tell her I'll give her as much space as she needs to read through it all." Bogo flicked off the radio, grunting as he let his arm dangle by his side. "That'll keep that prying bitch quiet for a few hours." He turned back towards the doors to the prison, turning with a nod towards the officer watching over the goings on inside through the reinforced glass window.

"Chief."

"Officer Gunnery. How've they been?"

"It's mostly been quiet all night, Sir. It started off looking like there might've been some trouble later on - a couple of rowdy offenders, you know - but then Shuck Black the old dog started spinning stories about his life and people he'd met, and they all settled down and seemed to even enjoy themselves."

"Good. Good. How long until Blackheath are ready to start moving prisoners?"

"They're just looking over the final paperwork now, that'll take about five minutes. After that is the line-up and inspection of the security guards involved in the transfer, that'll be twenty minutes. So, all in all, they'll be ready in five and twenty."

"Good. Yes, that is - that _is_ good. I need to, further investigate a couple of the prisoners here just briefly for any further information."

"Before Blackheath take them? I'm not sure, Sir. Without the proper authorization from the-"

"They are not Blackheath's prisoners _yet_ , Officer Gunnery. I need no mammal's authority or authorization to question one of the prisoners held in _my_ Police Department. Now bring Mister Black and Banes the fennec to interrogation room one before I give you the soul privilage of maintaining the toilets for the next week!"

The door handle nearly broke with the speed with which the officer made to follow orders. Chief Bogo looked carefully over his shoulder, checking the shadows, his teeth biting down on his lip in concern. "Damn investigation. Damn bloody Evie Wright."


	86. Grey

Beneath the snow and the concrete earth of Tundratown, in a hidden basement beneath the city street, lay upon his back on a hard table. The figure of an onager stood over him, his face covered by a mask. "This most difficult stage, Wulfey," he said, quietly, reaching towards Wulf with a claw-like device in his paw. "The damaged eye is having to be remove, though."

The oriental donkey closed towards the wolf's face with the claw-like device, towards the eye Jack had slashed which was rather pussy and closed. The quack reached out his other hoof, and pulled the closed lids of the damaged eye open with his fingers. The sight within was of fluids and blood, and the stomach-churning sight of the torn eye within.

The claw-like device had a spike in the centre if it. Slvelt pushed forwards, and the two-inch needle sank into the eye. The wolf's body tensed, but did not move. A pained, almost disheartened expression on the onager's face, he turned a dial on the device in his hoof, and the clamps of the device lowered.

With a small amount of pulling and adjusting the device, the claws slipped in behind the eyelid and tightened around the eye. Pulled slowly, the eye eventually came loose, the red and bloody chord attaching it to the open empty eye socket, while pulling taut behind it.

His breaths uneasy, Slvelt reached around to the back of the removed eye and tugged sharply. The chord slid from the eye, and a low snarl of discomfort escaped the wolf's throat. "Almost, Wulfey. Almost make good."

The donkey put down the claw-like device – the split eye still clamped into place, its juices running down the stainless steel and onto his white glove. The device resting on a small table, Slvelt picked up a small box with fluid inside and opened the lid. The fluid smelt like disinfectant and was of an unpleasant yellowish colour. He reached in with a pair of specially shaped tongs, and picked up the single item which sat inside, all the while looking at him.

His other hoof still holding the eye-less chord, the Orient donkey moved the new eye towards it, lowering himself down to be more at eye-level; lining up the back of the eye with the chord. He bit down on his tongue. He pushed hard. There was a moment of tension; then, with a sickening squelching sound, the chord sank into the back of the eye.

Moving swiftly, Slvelt lowered the eye towards the empty socket, pushing with his gloved hoof and guiding it with the tongs as he forced the eye into its new home. With a wet hiss of escaping air, the eye slid into place. With a pair of tweezers, the onager helped move the eyelids back around the eye until it was safely secure and held in place.

He breathed slowly, lowering the last of the tools back down on the table. He slipped off one of his gloves and, with a click, undid the strap holding the wolf's head flat against the table. His head twisted towards the donkey, Wulf turned slowly towards him, the primordial slit pupils of both eyes adjusting to the light.

A smile grew across the mad doc's face. "There's my pup."

…

"So, who are you? What do you know of Wilde?"

Finnick's disinterested aura turned to one of curiosity, looking towards the Chief of Police as he sat forwards on the interrogation room table. "What you talkin' about?"

"The two of you have a history, you can't deny that," Bogo said.

"Oh yeah? Whad if ah've never met him before?"

The Chief grunted, leaning back in his chair. "When I came down here and found Wilde was about to beat you, before that… what did you talk about?"

"Oh nothin', diss an' dat."

"You talked about your involvement in the drug operations; the crimes you're guilty of." Finnick's ears pricked up, not yet motivated to react but doubt growing in his mind about what Nick might've said to Bogo. "He tried to extract information out of you, you tried to dodge answering with threats of telling me about his past connection with The Firm-"

"Hay, wah-"

"-you told him about the real identity of the murder victim at Ladders, Jacques who enlisted you, the acquisition of Erkin-"

"Nh – Nick really sold me out? Even dough it put him in der shi-"

"Wilde hasn't said a thing. He… 'neglected' to turn off the video recording equipment after my brief interrogation with you; it was all recorded.

"Den… what're you here to do? I told Nick all whad I know." Realizing the shock had made him open up, the fennec's cynical side kicked back into work. "Lookin' for a confession, Misder Fuzz?"

"No. Cooperation." Sighing resolutely, the Chief posed the question he deeply wished he wouldn't have to ask. "Are you still intending to inform me of Wilde's prior involvement with The Firm?"

"What you talkin' 'bout? You already bin told Nick's…" A thought suddenly striking him, the fennec's head tilted and his expression became a squint. "Just what the heck you plannin' here?"

Bogo's face remained neutral, his body language remained perfectly professional. "Perhaps I found out about it when I was off duty."

"Dis some kinda trick?"

"It's a matter of hats, Mister Depesdo. I found out about Wilde's Firm involvement while wearing my 'civilian' hat, but not while wearing my 'police chief' hat. I'm not breaking any rules by feigning ignorance, I'm just treating my 'on duty' and 'off duty' self as two different people. It's exactly the same."

Finnick's disbelieving expression didn't change. He opened his mouth as though to talk, paused, and closed it again, his paws crossing over his chest.

"However, if you were to tell me about that now, while I'm wearing my Police Chief's hat, I would have no choice but to look into it. Which is something… neither of us want to happen."

The fox regarded him carefully. "So, you knows Nicky is guilty of-" Bogo's expression hardened; Finnick reworded his sentence, "So you're aware Nicky may-or-may-not-but-very-probably-ain't an ex member of 'some criminal thing' or other… but you wan' him kept in d' clear?"

Bogo nodded, solemnly.

Only now starting to trust the buffalo's intentions, Finnick clicked his tongue between his teeth. "Sooo… wha's in it for me? How you gonna be sure I don't spill what I knows or doesn't know? You gonna… 'drop' your keys?"

"Fox, you are a murderer and a coercer and I cannot simply allow you walk out of this building. The same principles apply to me as they do to Wilde; if you want out, I need something more from you."

"An' if I was to threaten you with telling everyone about-"

"Then there would be no hope of escape from Blackheath, and I would make damn sure your sentence was as long and unconfutable as it would be possible for me to make!"

Finnick considered this promise, watching the heavily-breathing buffalo before him. "But I don't know nothin' more than what I've already told Wilde. I don't know nothin' about the structure of the organization, who's at the top, where they come from… nothin'."

"Who would? Who would know the location of the other Hives? That kangaroo you mentioned, Jacques, who recruited you. Would he know?"

"Would'a thought so. Guy knew his stuff, an' seemed to be pretty high up with how he was going about the place making orders."

"Yes… yes, and if he had permission to put you in charge of one of their Hives without outside authority, that's another indicator of his status."

"Like ah says, though: Don't know where he'd be at right now."

Turning down towards him, the buffalo fixed a stern gaze upon him. "And if you were free? How would you then get in contact with him?"

"Wh – how'd you mean?"

"What I'm saying is… if you'd slipped the net at the raid last evening - which, for all I know, maybe you did - would you then be able to get back in contact with Jacques or someone in affiliation with him?"

"Arh, maybe… I guess? I know where I could hang 'round and probably get spotted by him or someone who looks out for him. There's a couple of streets where things are a bit rougher than normal on the East side of the precinct. I get spotted, someone's bound to let him know or go up an' talk to me."

"Interesting. That is, very, interesting."

"You wan' me to do a double-cross, yeah?"

The directness of the statement caught the Chief off guard for the most fleeting of moments. He sat forwards once again on his desk, his paws clasping before him. "You don't strike me as a mammal who believes in 'loyalty'. You're in it for Finnick, and always for Finnick. Am I correct?"

"Money's my God. I'll do anythin' for him, even be loyal or take a job managing a load of foreign drug-runners. But if the cash-flow stops, so'es too do I. If it'll keep me outta jail – it's hard to earn a livin' in there, not impossible, but tricky as heck – sure, I won't think twice 'bout double-dealing some Southerner for the cops." Bogo nodded, it almost felt legal.

 _How to make sure he can't slip from my net without having his existence on police records?_

"Uh, gonna be a hell of a pain in the bitch to have to be working with der fuzz," Finnick grunted. "Ah take it givin' my name out to the public's gonna be just as much part of the deal as my not tellin' Nick's?"

"That is the case. It's important we limit your contact with the police force as much as possible to avoid arousing suspicion. I think… hm. We both have to be sensible about this. Stay here and keep quiet for now. I have a few things to set up before you're released from here."

"An' if someone tries to come in here?"

"I very much doubt that's going to happen. Everyone who was in the cells before is now being transported to vans to be delivered to Blackheath. "Now, if you'll excuse me," Bogo concluded, his face a stony mask as he rose from his seat and made to the door. He paused in the doorway and checked in on the small fox, grimaced for just an instant, and pushed the metal barrier closed, locking it behind him.

Finnick stared at the door, trying to process if what had just happened was real or wishful thinking. "Nicky, you sly son of a Todd," the fox cackled, "I knew you'd pull through in the end."

…

"Now," Bogo muttered, as he made way towards his office, "the small fish has been let through the holes; time to deal with the dragon."

…

Surveyor Director Evie Wright of the Department of State Security sat – her back straight and her posture perfectly conforming to health and safety regulations – at the Chief of Police's desk. She had pushed aside the paperwork and pens and Bogo's other assorted belongings into untidiness at the edge the desk, and had placed two tall stacks of perfectly-aligned paperwork in its centre.

Reaching up with a hoof, the deer took down one of the paper-clipped documents of paper and opened it to the first page, reading through every line of information within.

Shuck Black sat opposite of her, leaning back in the small chair, his legs crossed casually before him as he watched the red deer with an air of disinterest. He knew her type – could smell the superiority complex a mile off – and knew it wouldn't be worth trying to speak with her.

The door opened; the tall frame of a buffalo paced in and pulled the door shut behind him. His gaze moved across the room, spotted Shuck and the deer sat at his desk. "Miss Wright?"

"Do you think you're being amusing or something?" she said, not looking up from her paperwork. Bogo waited through a pause. "This paperwork – information on toilet cleaners and janitors – I trust you've given me such as some kind of completely unprofessional and inappropriate joke."

"I-"

"Because I sincerely hope it's for a joke and not some kind of stalling tactic. It would be a terrible shame if you were to be so _stu_ pid as to hoof me psychological evidence that you are trying to hide something."

"Director Wright," Bogo said, trying to reassert his authority, "you instructed me to give you information on the activities of all staff over the past forty-eight hours, and that is what I have given you."

"Hmm." Miss Wright said nothing more, but turned the page of her piece of paperwork and started reading up about the next instalment of toilet roll this member of staff had made.

"Mister Black," Bogo said, his voice a tone calmer as he turned to Shuck, "thank you for coming up here and I'm sorry for you night in the cells, we-"

"S'alright," Shuck said, "ah quite understand."

"…we just need to ask you some questions and talk about what happened last night. I don't believe you're in any real danger of facing legal prosecution – so long as you haven't killed anyone, I mean," he added in a slight chuckle, which he started regretting as the dog fixed a glass-eyed stare upon him. "A run-down on last night's activities, Mister Black, if you please."

Shuck nodded, a hint of innate suspiciousness about his demeanour. "Well… I were in me house, bin drinking a few ales and stuff, went out for a little walk 'bout and got this clobberin' on me head. I woke up later, was sat in my house again, this goat beside me, an-"

"A goat?" Bogo asked sharply. "Victor Nyilas?"

"Eye, that were his name. We got talking, him sayin' about his family bein' held hostage an' doubting he'd be getting out of things alive."

"He wasn't a willing participant?"

"Like buggery he weren't. He made a deal with a certain mammal in power to make an archy'logical dig 'round the area. At the same time, his wife and kids were kidnapped by this same mammal-in-power. When Nyilas found out, they told him he were to go back to Zootopia an carry on his teachin', but that he were to oversee some drug operations 'round that part oh the city for a time."

"You mean he was put in charge of one of the Hives?"

"Nah, nah. From what he say, sounds to me like all the Hives got one boss, George the coyote were in charge of importing drugs, and this Nyilas were put in to kinda generally manage making sure they got to their individual Hives okay - though I don't think he were really much more than a somewhat-respectable bloke who weren't likely to get suspicionized upon bein' used as a skape goat, really."

"They was pretty well organised from what I get of it. Lot of divisions, separate bosses and overseers and workers and worker-managers in every department. All managed by this autocratic mammal-in-power at der top." Realising only now he was still stood up – the dog's words having had distracted him from noticing – the Chief pulled over and lowered himself into a chair. Even Evie Wright had stopped reading paperwork to pay closer attention.

"You know their name? The mammal at the top?"

"I do. Won't believe me, though."

"Just tell us."

"Malvern Zafearov."

Wright raised a brow; Bogo scowled in confusion. "I take it you don't mean-"

"Principal Governor Zafearov of Zistopia, yes," he stated. "Or," he grunted, "to give 'im his proper title, 'Lord', though you wouldn't know him by that name 'round here."

A long moment of silence passed. Wright scoffed, "Stupid mutt," she muttered, turning back to her paperwork. Bogo's eyes squinted almost to a close.

"There's some mistake."

"Nor mistake. Got it on good authority. Nyilas talked a lot oh times with him; even has a little piece of rock from side his tower."

"Well, erm… we'll certainly look into this, Mister Black. Thank you fo-"

"Don't encourage him, Harold, he's clearly a buffoon. Too much ale and tobacco."

"But Miss Wright, if he's-"

"No, Harold. Aside from the lack of any evidence, means or motivation of Principal Governor Zafearov's involvement, think of the political repercussions if Zootopia were to accuse him of illegal activities."

"If we have a lead, Miss Wright," Bogo said, impatiently patient, "it is our legal duty to investigate it."

"If you insist on wasting your time, so be it. For now, I'll hear what your Murder Investigation officers have postulated."

Turning back towards the dog, Bogo said, "I think it would be an idea to have Mister Black present when Leopold and Jefferson give their reports."

"To cross examine his story," Wright mentioned, "yes."

The Chief grunted, "I was going to say t-"

"I'm sorry?" Wright's gaze held Bogo's, her hooves resting on the desk's top. The Chief grumbled to himself and backed down – not because he felt 'belittled' by the pompous and overconfident mammal, but just because he knew arguing his point would be more effort than it was worth.

"So. As long as it'll be okay with you, Director Wright… I'll give Officer Leopold a buzz." Evie didn't respond, just tuned back down to her paperwork, turning the page to the next set of light bulb-changes the janitor had reported.

"Leopold, Jefferson," the Chief said, his radio to his mouth, "we're ready for you. I want to see you in my office A-SAP."

"At once, Chief," came the sound of Leopold's reply. "Officer Jefferson currently out pursuing a lead, but I can be with you directly."

Quiet minutes passed between the hound, the buffalo and the deer. A quiet minute of each of them quietly ignoring the other and silently wishing they were on their own. Shortly, there was a knock on the door, and the head and long, grey mane of H. Leopold appeared inside.

A few short words of greetings and introductions later, the lion began his report of the findings of the investigation at the harbour.

"It's been an interesting investigation – with some expected and fairly standard results and a few minor details of quite strong interest. The investigation started, as it often does," the lion began, pulling out his customary collection of photographs, to which Jefferson sighed and Bogo's hoof raised to his face in dull impatience…

"With an investigation of the structure, direction and proceedings of the activities of the evening via an examination of the footprints. We more-or-less accurately traced the movements of the criminals as they moved about the harbour and then returned onto the boat. We found your footprints, Mister Black, the tracks of Officer Hopps and another rabbit whom we don't know the identity of, and the tracks of what appeared to be a large wolf-like creature."

"Wolf-'like'?" repeated Bogo.

"The footprints were larger than we would rationally expect those of a wolf to be. Assuming his body conforms to the standard ratio of foot-size to body-height, this wolf, if indeed he was a wolf, must have been at least a foot or so taller than even the largest of his species."

"Wilde did say something about a wolf. A large, muscled wolf with… which reminds me, have you been able to trace the tracking device Officer Hopps fired?"

"We have, Sir."

"And?"

"It appears, who or whatever the dart was fired at, did remain attached to its target."

"It's not at the harbour anymore?"

"It's not even in Precinct One. It's in Tundratown, Sir. In, as far as we can tell from this range, a small car-park clearing in a lesser-populated area of the industrial estate."

"Great work. Who would be available to get coverage over in that area and investigate the source?"

"If I've been overly presumptuous I apologise, Chief, but I have already taken the liberty of sending Officer Jefferson to investigate – not to try to enter or to make any arrests, just simply to observe from a distance and see if there's any movement or signs of life."

"Well done, Leopold," Bogo said, a genuine smile crossing his features. With all the stress that'd been piled on his shoulders the last few days, it was a great relief to find that at least one officer was thinking for themselves; acting appropriately without needing everything checked over by him.

"Thank you, Chief. He should be calling in within the next ten minutes or so."

"What else did your investigating find?"

"Miss Hopps and the other rabbit appear to have attempted to sneak into proximity of where the shipping vessel apparently was via the north side of the harbour – using the concealment of the large crates in that area to approach - presumably trying to get close enough to attach a tracking device from their track gun to the side of the ship's hull."

"I would expect that to be the case, it's a useful, but fairly low-range device. What then?"

"Well, it's possible they were then spotted by the criminals in the central clearing, or, more likely, the large-wolf-assailant then struck them from behind. They then seem to have tried to flee via the way Hopps and the other rabbit entered by – judging by the distance between their footsteps, clearly shows they were sprinting – and then circles back to the opening inside."

"They must have been in some considerable panic when they left, Sir. The size difference and contrast in their strengths must have been enormous, beside which I should've though rabbits were biologically predisposition towards fearing predator-mammals such as he. I believe either Hopps or the other rabbit fired off several wild shots towards the assailant as they re-entered the clearing, as I discovered a number of bullets lodged inside the crates close by. One of these shots at least wounded the wolf, as I discovered spats of blood around there and following his footsteps from then on. I immediately sent Jefferson, with a sample of the blood, to the laboratory. However, they are yet to get back to me with their findings.

"Good work so far, Leopold," Bogo said. "I think I can assume the rest. Hopps and the… 'other rabbit' fled towards the safety of the discontinued boatbuilders' yard, the 'other' was caught and badly injured, and then he went to Officer Hopps in-"

"If I could just stop you there, Sir, that's not completely what happened. A number of oddities were found around that area. First of all, a pistol with a 3D-printed muzzle had been crushed by some force, which gives suspicion the other rabbit had attempted to use in the moments before their 'downfall'. There also was a discharged, highly concentrated tranquilliser round. Thirdly, and perhaps most interestingly, was that _very_ Ruger SR ME which, as we discussed before*, was the weapon used to murder the fennec fox at Ladders and Ladders and Co.."

"Thee Ruger?"

"If you remember, Sir, there's only one in existence. The exact specifications of the model are not quite comprehensive, but this weapon matches what we do know about it in such exactness, there can be no doubt about its identity."

"I see," Bogo said, slowly.

"From what I can reasonably assume, Sir, the wolf was armed with the Ruger, but was disarmed by either Hopps or the other rabbit. The other rabbit then attempted to use the 3D-printed gun which was rendered inoperable before he could use it. The tranquilliser round was then used against him, leaving him crippled and unable to defend himself."

Bogo nodded, taking in every word. "I see," he said again, his mind more caught up on trying to figure out the ins and outs of what had passed, too focused from finding something 'constructive' to say.

"We'll know more once Miss Hopps is able to answer our questions."

"Of course, yes. Were there any more finds?"

"A few signs of fighting between the tree of them, Sir, and… three dead bodies, also." The Chief inclined his head with interest; the lion went on. "Two of them, Sir, were apparently burnt to death. The fire appeared to have started suddenly – with use of an oil-based accelerator – within the confines of the small shack-"

"That's my home you're talking about," Shuck cut in. "Nice a place as ever I lived in."

After processing that the 'shack' (the pile of loose, corrugated metal, the torn and faded armchair and the ancient coal fire) was the home of the black dog who had been sat silent since Leopold had come in, the lion hastily adopted a sympathetic air. "I'm sorry for your misfortune, Mister…" The dog didn't give his name. Leopold cleared his throat, returned his attention to the Chief, and continued.

"The fire appeared to have started suddenly within the confines of the small, erm… building. The two mammals fled, but were unable to extinguish themselves, owing to the oil-based accelerant which their clothes and coats were coated with."

"Anything to do with you?" Miss Wright asked sharply to the hound.

Shuck grinned, but the sight of his barbed teeth only achieved a slight flinch from the deer. "Nothin' at all," Shuck said, his bad breath achieving a little more than a slight flinch. "They just were takin' use of my oil light, usin' it to light 'emselves a smoke, when one of them backed into my fire. He yelped, dropped the lantern, and 'dey all went up like a puff oh smoke. Black smoke, heh."

Leopold looked carefully between Black and Wright. He could feel their intrinsic dislike for each other from there.

"What about the third body?" Bogo asked, holding no interest for the interrelationship of the two.

"Him, I found, just outside the front of Shuck's domicile. The polar bear was armed with a small assault rifle, and had what appeared to be a deep knife wound in the side of his neck."

"He got into an argument with another mammal," Shuck said before Evie had time to raise her suspicions. "Heard them arguing from in me house, heard them talking about who should get to have the rifle with 'em. Came to blows not long after, then I heard what must've been his throat being cut by the other."

Wright chuckled, dryly, as though she'd just won. "If they were arguing about who got the rifle, 'Mister' Shuck, then why was it left in the polar bear's paws after he was killed?"

"Hmmm," said Shuck, making an over-theatrical display of thinking about it. "Well, maybe my Russian ain't as good as I thought it was. Guess they must've been arguing about who got the bigger cut of cash when the job were done or something."

Wright's face tightened, but she had looked back to her paperwork before letting it show. Shuck grinned, turning back to Leopold. "You was sayin'?"

"I was done, actually," the lion said. "It would be gross speculation on my part to try to say exactly who caused the deaths, but this is certainly something we can investigate more with additional time. Though, I must add, it is unlikely further evidence will become apparent on the matter."

"Good work, Leopold," Bogo said, glancing over to Shuck and Director Wright. "Let me know when the laboratory are finished with the blood samples, and tell Jefferson to report directly to me with an update as soon as he's trailed down the source of the tracking device."

"It will be done, Sir."

Bogo nodded; the door closed, Leopold on the other side.

* * *

 **Author's Notes:**

\- * See chapter latter half of chapter 17 for Leopold's prior report on the fire and killing at Ladders and Ladders. (long ole time ago that was an all, ay?)  
\- I'm very sorry for the delay, I'm hoping the delays won't be as long as that again for a while - I'm currently working, on the orders of my partner, to reorder all of the plot and character development, et cetera, of Paw in Pawinto a structured format - an encyclopedia of all locations, people, events and plot development. Writing that distracted me from writing the actual story it was wrote for, heh.  
\- Lastly, a few of you reading this previously said that the design of Nick and Scarlett's 'Ruger' was not particularly realistic in any way, really. If you have had, or do have, any ideas for an alternative model of high-cost, highly-customised, highly rare, sought-after and effective type of pistol, please let me know your ideas. I would've gone directly to the

Thank you muchly-much for your patience,  
Mister Smail.


	87. A Nice Day Off

**A Nice Day Off**

 **Notey-note:**

\- Please note a minor alteration has been made to the plot, while _markovas_ is in charge of stylization and is currently writing this specific segment sentenced, thus rejoice as you've been touched by greatness incarnate; just don't tell Smail cuz he gonna smack me! Bonnie and Stu are not with each other in Zootopia. Stu stayed back to keep the never-resting machine that is the Hopps Family Farm from ticking over, while Bonnie left with… well, you'll have to see, won't you?

* * *

As midday hit, the sun touched upon the apex of the sky, lavishing upon the tips of the magnificent skyscrapers the mammals of Zootopia had built. The city of hope, the city of peace, the city of unity and equality for all. It looked down upon, with the warmth of all hope, upon the city risen tall in touch with its smooth spires, now turned glittering emeralds, rubies and sapphires in the sun's selfless smile.

The heat filtered down all throughout the city, expelling the lingering shadows from even the narrowest and most crooked of backstreets and alleys, enveloping all the city in the clean light of day, a light of purity, a light of glory and hopeful satisfaction. It made it hard to even consider the possibility there could ever be anything even slightly 'corrupt' about any part of the city; and the inhabitancy didn't consider it, and never would.

The soul-warming light of the sun shone down upon Tundratown, the snow-covered streets glowing white, while the icicles that hung from every window ledge and power line shimmering, glittered in reflection with minute suns of their own in par.

An icicle leaked, its surface wet, melted by the sun's unblinking gaze. A droplet of ice-cold water fell from its tip, and sailed down many meters from the top of the building on which it once lay… and fell into the gap between the shirt and bare fur of a tiger.

"Harrh-," Officer Jefferson shot, flinching back, wincing from the cold. "Damn cold bloody place, why'd Leo have to send me here?" He refused to acknowledge that it was his own fault he was now walking, in thin trousers and a t-shirt, through snow – his intention being to show everyone how 'cool' he was by wearing an inconveniently small amount of clothing – and continued to blame his now-near-frozen state on his Superior.

"Come on ya bitt," he mumbled, checking his phone once again, "you gotta be around here someplace." He stopped suddenly as the GPS changed its mind for the fifth time about which direction the tracking device was at, waited for a few moments as it recalculated his position, grunted, turned, and started walking back the way he had shivered.

" _You'd better park your car several streets away and walk there_ ," Jefferson mumbled, doing his best impression of the reserved Officer Leopold. " _If they spot the ZPD car approaching, they may well get wind of the fact we may be onto them, and abandon the location before we get there._ Yeah right ya hundred-year-old sloth," he muttered in his own voice, before quoting his own reply from the conversation he'd previously had:

"So how about I just take an unmarked car? _No, Jefferson, we have none available, they're all patrolling high-drug-concentrated areas._ Well then I'll just take my car! _Your car is not registered as a police vehicle and is, therefore, not permissible for Police use._ But if the point is they don't know it's a cop car, you old duffer, then what's the frigging point of getting a fluffing car registered for police fluffing…" Jefferson continued muttering the response he 'wished' he'd given at that moment, before stopping and grunting again as the GPS tracker suddenly decided the track device was in Romalla (a small island he'd never heard of, somewhere six hundred miles North).

"Then screw the car," he muttered, "gimmie a damn helicopter." He turned off the phone with frustration, turning it on again a few moments later and waiting for several minutes, while it booted up again – standing on one leg the whole time, alternating between his one-legs so they didn't have to both be on ice and snow for too long. …At least the cold didn't hurt anymore, not now when his feet had gone numb.

The usually carefree and easy-going tiger gestured as though throttling his small piece of electronic denial, his teeth gritting as the loading screen slowly ran through its course of tedium. He flicked it unlocked with a padded finger, logged back onto the GPS, and re-entered the tracking device's twelve-digit code into the searcher.

"Ain't technology a charm," he muttered, watching a 'searching' icon going around and around on the screen. "The future's such a bright place." His gaze rose up to the sky as he waited, looking upon the golden sun as it shone down around him, shining from the dangling spikes of dripping water.

The phone beeped: a proximity alarm. The tiger looked down at the screen, and found the arrow pointing him towards as small, enclosed car park just down the road and over the street. His sense of frustration left him – his mind taking on a professional edge at the knowledge of possible danger being close at paw. A part of him doubted anything was going to be there, and that the GPS would suddenly decide it meant a car park on the other side of Tundratown once he was there, but, he couldn't deny… from what he could see of it from this distance, with the tall walls of concrete surrounding it and the small gate entering it, the premises of this car park would be especially apt for activities one might wish to go 'unnoticed'.

Stopping across the road from the entrance of the car park, Jefferson watched from the corner of his eye, trying to glimpse as much as possible of that enclosed space as he walked past. He saw nothing: some concrete buildings, doors with piles of snow in them which hadn't been opened in days, shuttered windows, snow-covered cars. He pulled his phone out again once past and checked his GPS. It still pointed to that location – the tracking device was close.

Taking a breath, he turned his phone to the 'phone' app and dialled a number (he didn't have his radio, because even on civvies, wearing a police radio on your belt still looked suspicious). "Hey, reception? You there, Howlitz? Yeah, it's Jeffers, wanna speak to Leop-… orrr, sure, the Chief, if that's what he's asked for."

…

…

…

A yellow taxi turned off at a set of traffic lights, the cabby pulling at his collar in the hot tightness – the heavy silence grating on his nerves, hard expressions of two passengers in the seats behind him.

The buck wore dark blue dungarees and a black jacket over the top; the doe wore a soft-purple shirt with a pair of very sensible trousers. By every account, it was painfully obvious they were country bumpkins, lost in the big bad city; yet… the cabbie was more nervous and cautious around their presence than he had been in the presence of cut-throat businessmammals and testosterone-pumped bodybuilders.

"How much further," the doe asked, her voice a sharp, cold knife.

"Just – jus' two minutes, ma'am!"

The doe glanced to the buck; he pulled out a small piece of leather and took out the required sum of money. "What're you thinking, Mom? What're we planning?"

"We find out what ignorant stupidity let our little girl go out into danger. Have a nice chat with whoever's responsible. And find out why we didn't find out until it was on the TV."

The taxi pulled to a stop. The driver didn't push for the money, just wanting to get the two mammals out of his car before they punched him a sunroof – taking whatever money they gave him gladly and driving away with all swiftness.

The rabbits looked about them – about at the tall, skulking buildings and massive institutions of Precinct One. "Come on," Bonnie said, turning upon a large building before them, "let's get in there and find whoever's responsible."

…

…

…

"When are you going to write-up the paperwork for Officer Jefferson's investigation?"

"I don't write Officer Jefferson's paperwork. Officer Jefferson writes Officer Jefferson's paperwork."

"Officer Jefferson is already frightfully busy furthering his investigation, Harold; as his Chief, you should try and free up his vital time by removing this inconvenience from him."

"Officer Jefferson, Miss Wright, is not the only mammal with a heapload of work to be doing."

Director Wright nodded, slowly. "Have you written a public statement yet? Only, it's been several hours and you've been yet to make a public appearance. "

"You don't need to make a point of asking, Wright, you already know that I haven't written one."

"Don't you think you should be getting along with that?"

"Is it so urgent?"

"The population is worried. The people are asking questions. They want to kn-"

"No, I haven't written a public statement yet, and I'm not going to, until I've finished dealing with Mister Black and given him clearance to lea-"

"That mammal can wait. You have a dozen TV crews and hundreds of other civilians waiting to know what happened to Miss Hopps."

"You do know this is my day off, don't you? I mean it is Saturday; it is a legal requirement I have at least one day off a week. I just came in to…" the Chief stopped himself form saying 'He just came in to release Finnick from jail before Blackheath came' and said, instead, "…to supervise the transit of criminals to Blackheath."

At last, the red deer turned up from her desk of paperwork. "This is a day off?"

"I've been asleep for a total of four hours over the past thirty."

"And if you're, legally speaking, 'not here' at the moment, it means you're not getting paid either."

The Chief inhaled, slowly. "No."

"Well done, nice to see you're still dedicated." She turned back to her papers. "A good Chief of Police doesn't need unnecessary days off. You seem to be operating efficiently at the moment, so it's right of you to get as much work done as you can." Bogo groaned, but didn't allow the sound to be out loud; nor did he allow the mouthed curses to turn into anything more than just mouthings.

"I'll have a word with finance and see if I can get your pay reimbursed for today."

"Thanks."

"In the meantime, why don't you make a start on a public statement?"

Bogo slapped down his paperwork on the desk (a smaller desk than the one he was used to as Surveyor Wright was still using his). "If it is your – command – Miss Wright, then I'll make a start at writing a public statement."

"Thank you," she said, as Bogo pulled over a blank piece of paper and a pen, watching him out of the corner of her eye, waiting until _juuust_ the right moment when he'd decided how to start and was about to begin writing before adding… "But first, have a look at this and explain to me your reasonings."

His eyes falling closed, Bogo lowered his pen and put it down, very carefully, very gently, on the table top. "Yes… Miss Wright."

"It's this bit here, this part where you filed, instructing Officer Judy Hopps to-"

"What? That's not in the paperwork I gave-"

"Spot on, it wasn't, but around half way through reading up on the actions and movements of all ZPD staff, I decided upon exacting a _change of scenery_ and the ability to give myself _fresh_ information to examine, and called down to reception, while you were taking that dog to the holding area."

"And what did you ask for?"

"All paperwork directly regarding Officer Judy Hopps since after last night's raid – trying to find exactly what happened there." Bogo relaxed a little, though he knew it was only a stay of justice; he knew it was only a matter of time before she started digging into the warrant he was most unconfutable about her looking into – just how he had acquired the evidence to get that warrant.

"It says here," she continued, "that, when reports came in that the harbour was _under attack_ , you immediately scrambled all troops to prepare to respond. Whereupon a mysterious _goat_ appeared in the reception area."

"That is correct, yes."

"And then you instructed Officer Hopps to enter, alone, with no briefing, into an off-limits area of the city quite literally infected with criminals?!"

"We – I mean, it was… I…-" Realization hitting him like a smack with a spade, it struck the Chief that no one _high up_ even knew that Jack Savage was remotely involved. This was intentional, he wanted Nick to be investigated as quietly as possible, which is why he'd asked Jack to look into him 'for a favour' rather than 'for a job', which meant…

"Because, dear chap," she said, her sweeping voice brassy and bold, "if you're about to tell me you sent Officer Hopps in there alone and with no possible backup, we can finish this investigation right here and now. And you can hoof your nice, shiny badge over to me for gross negligence and go on a nice long holiday with a government pension."

…he knew his dilemma even before Wright had spoken – he couldn't say that Judy had gone on her own, that really would be negligence of the grossest kind. And if he said she was being accompanied by a top agent, Agent One no less, from the MI-Z? Questions, questions and more questions – specifically, questions about what he was brought in to investigate; questions which would bring Evie Wright closer to a topic he wanted to keep her as far away from as possible.

The Chief grunted, his hoof raising to his forehead, covering his eyes as he tried to straighten his thoughts. He was emotionally and physically exhausted. Up early, supervised a raid, had one of his best officers attacked… minimal hours sleep, an evening spent looking at paperwork, which all seemed to incriminate his other best officer… his oldest friend spotted trespassing at the ZPD, Jack close to death, public statements, paperwork, witnesses, victims, a whole damn inquiry that was going to be forcing him to justify every-damn-decision he'd made once Wright was finished reading everything…

"It's my bloody – day – off."

The deer raised a brow, sitting back in the high-backed chair slowly, and touching a hoof upon her brass and ruby necklace. "Perhaps you need a little more than a _day_ off."

The Chief visibly winced, turning his head aside, his expression tightening. "Miss Wright, I do not require-"

His radio buzzed. Taking in a long, deep lungful of air, the Chief pulled it to his mouth, "Speak."

"Erm, it's Ho - Howlitz here, Sir, there is a, erm… wh – well, two things, actually, Jefferson got back in touch and, erh, and he's found the source of that tracking device's beacon. Ah – and…"

"And?" Bogo sighed.

"It's, erm – well, erh, you see – Miss Hopps' ma's here, with a younger rabbit. They were quite, erh… quite upset they hadn't been told about what happened to Officer Hopps. They want to see you 'right away'."

Wright gave him a hard glare; Bogo gritted his teeth. "Very well, I'll be down to talk to them right a-"

"Sir, they're-" the wolf at reception cleared his throat, trying to sound calm and failing miserably. "She's already coming up, they were quite… determined." His head rolling back, Bogo didn't even bother to reply, he just put his radio away again and took the moment's comparative peace he had before he was to be faced with a pair of frightened, crying mammals _he_ had to deal with.

"And why have Miss Hopps parents' not been informed yet?"

"Look, I-"

"And another thing: Do all your officers carry advanced tactical tracking equipment with them?"

"Wright, please," he groaned, quietly, "I'm about to have to deal with…" slamming the table, the Chief's voice took on a sharp edge. "Can't you let up for just five minutes?"

Wright's ear flicked, her head turning towards the door, the quiet sound of small, but rapidly-falling footsteps getting swiftly closer. "Five minutes," she stated, darkly. "I'll leave you completely to it, for five minutes."

She pushed herself up from her… from Bogo's chair… and paced silently from the room, leaving via the exit into the Bull Pen, the Chief watching her with something between relief and annoyance that filled him – glad she was out of his fur at last, but aware it was only so she didn't have to deal with the whinings and frightened snivelling of-

There was a knock at the door. The Chief quickly returned himself to his seat, pulled over the pile of paperwork, picked up a pen and pulled out his radio. "Come in," he called, before turning down to the paperwork and pretending to be studying it intently; speaking softly into the radio: "Yes, I understand, thank you. You're doing your best down there, I'm sure." The door pushed open, the two rabbits pacing quietly inside. "I have every confidence in your efforts, we all have the best people working on this, I'm sure we'll have the issue swiftly resolved. Thank you, goodbye."

He turned up from his paperwork, putting his radio down on the desk, looking up towards… well, down towards the rabbits staring at him with hot, dark eyes. Their expressions froze his standard to-do-list of dealing with traumatized parents, and his sympathetic smile and slow, calm motions froze at the unwavering glare the female in particular was sending him. He cleared his throat, softly. "You must be Misses Hopps. Do sit down."

"We're not here for pleasantries," Bonnie said, moving towards the closest chair and climbing up onto it – managing to sustain deadly eye contact and not even looking slightly comical the whole time. "Our daughter is… she's in a hospital, and we want to know why."

"And I shall be more than happy to explain. But let me start off by stating she's completely safe, she's recovering well, and she's the most vibrant and strong-willed mammal I have ever had the privilege to meet." The compliment he'd stated with full sincerity seemed to soften the parent's anger just a touch. The Chief pressed on, "And I promise to you, Misses Hopps, young Master Hopps, that there is no greater thing your magnificent daughter could have done for herself, and for this city, than to have followed the path she has chosen to walk."

Bonnie cleared her throat calmly, then turned towards the young buck in the dark jacket beside her. "Billy, go wait outside."

"No, maah, I'm staying, I want to-"

"Run along, I said, there's a good boy." With a final, long, hot glare in the Chief's direction – to which Bogo smiled, always one to enjoy seeing mammals in their twenties getting treated like kits – and turned back towards the doe as she cleared her throat once again, still quite sure of his hold on the situation. "I am not interested. In your compliments or your promises. She _chose_ this path?" she said, her tone rising. "For crying out loud, she's in a hospital!"

"I know, I know," he continued, his tone still soft. "However, unfortunately, all that being as it may, it remains true that police work is not, by its very nature, always a safe working environment. There are times in life as an Officer, where one must put their own safety second to the safety of the-"

"Don't give me that horsefuff," she shot, as though recognizing the unwritten 'script' Bogo was reciting from, raising and pointing a small finger towards him. "Officers are mortal mammals underneath, they don't put themselves in harm's way because they want to, it happens when bad management decisions lead them there!" Slowly, Bogo's face became stone. "She should've had backup, should've had facts and others watching over her, and escape routes and things."

"Miss Hopps, there…" Bogo grimaced, gesticulating widely. "There are no definite reports in the papers, the information released on television is sketchy at best, and none of my officers have made a public statement. How could you possibly know all this?"

"And don't you even think of giving me that codswallop, that trash about _the city before the self_. That is not how an effective police station is run."

"Bloody hell. I thought one Evie Wright was stress enough. You're a damn Surveyor too, I guess?"

Bonnie snorted, her head shaking derisively at his sarcasm. "Let me tell you something. An Officer does something very brave and silly, risks their life and stops some big crime whatsit. Are they good officers?" Bogo waited with a mistrustful pause. "They're not. It doesn't matter what most people think, taking wild risks like you see on the TV is the last thing an Officer should do. Imagine if every officer made a big-hero deed, most of them wouldn't be lucky enough to get out unharmed. There'd be thousands of police deaths every year in th-"

"I know how policing works!" Bogo shot. "I am Chief of Police of Precinct One and you are a farm-"

"My Judy would never put her life in-"

"She would if she had to, if it was the only way to-"

"Then your job is to make sure it's never the 'only way'!"

"The precinct was attacked, damn it," he spat, "held up by a gun-toating-"

"So you sent her into that harbour, no info, no backup, no prep, on a police mission and you let her-"

"How do you know," he demanded, standing.

Bonnie stood too, tiny next to the burly Chief before her, but not even flinching at his size or volume. "I guessed."

"Guessed?"

"Figured the stuff out. The TV report didn't let on anything," she huffed. "Same story with the radio reports. But I knew my Judy wouldn't just randomly go somewhere as cold and wet and empty as the harbour. It meant she was on duty, but you PD mammals never patrol there which means she was sent there specifically, and if she was attacked like she was, it meant she had no backup, and if my fastest little sprinter in-the-village couldn't get away, it means she was caged in, unprepared, _caged in_."

Bogo sat down slowly, a brow raised in silent surprise, perhaps even a little respect, of the country-hick's words.

Her fists tightened; her knuckles became white beneath her fur, her voice strained with emotion. "So for some emergency reason, my Judy was sent alone to the docks. What I do about it depends on how my Judy is now. I'm gonna let you explain to me later just exactly what was going through your mind when you sent her in there. For now, just explain to me why I wasn't told, why you put me through this blind panic to cross three hundred miles fretting about her!"

"I… I was tired!"

"You were what!?"

"We were all tired, we all needed some down time, I knew the ZPD would be flooded with callers the moment it got out Hopps had been attacked, I had to make sure Hopps got to the hospital safely, wanted to keep the city calm while I figured out what to do, had to take care of-"

"And that stopped you telling her mother how!?"

"It slipped my mind," he lamented through gritted teeth. "There, I said it: among the killings at the harbor, the raids, the arrests, the attacks, it slipped my mind to send a message to HQ telling them to phone her parents." The buffalo leaned back far into his wooden chair, his hoof raising to clutch over his brow, taking a long breath before looking back towards the rabbit, stood shaking on a chair before him, and said a very extraordinary word, "I'm sorry."

Bonnie gritted her teeth and turned away with a moment of reminiscence. But the fists of her paws started to relax, and the shaking of her body reduced. After all her years as a mother, she'd learnt to know a genuine apology when she saw it. She turned back to him, her scowl still in place, "Where's Nick? Isn't he supposed to be the one-"

"Wilde is at the hospital too."

Now the scowl did shift, her face clearing like she'd been slapped. "Not Nick too!"

"He's physically undamaged," Bogo stated. "His emotional state is a different matter entirely, but he's physically unharmed. It's also because of him it slipped my mind to-"

"What happened to her," Hopps demanded, her voice cold, her boiling anger having dropped into icy, fearful rage. "What happened to my Judy?"

"We're still working on that. It's going to take my officers time t-"

"I said… _what happened to my Judy?_ I didn't ask for none of your delaying tricks." Bogo's gaze held with the rabbit's. His brow furrowed. Somehow, he didn't know from where, she seemed to be wise to all his policing tricks. "Everything you know, I know."

Bogo considered for a few, long moments. His mind started drifting just a little, fatigue wearing heavily across him, stress pulling fiber after fiber away from his already-end-reached tether. "Some of it will be very heavy listening. You sure you want to k-"

"Don't, You, Dare. Why in tarnation do you think I'm even here? You think I came for soft-fluffing-spoken words and-and reassurances that everything would be okay?" Already stood up though she was, the rabbit managed to look taller still, her back straightening as her gaze lowered to glare upon the Chief. "You know there's more to my Judy than some fluffy bunny or a country hick, so don't you dare – don't you 'dare' – make an assumption about the knowledge and experience I have in my head. You know nothing about me. I'm not going to sit back and accept some 'internal investigation', I'm not going to be brushed aside and kept 'tactfully in the dark' like some common civilian. I want everything. So tell me, Chief Bogo, every detail, and let me decide if what you did was right or wrong. "

"Miss Hopps," Bogo said, the last capacity for diplomatic calmness approaching exhaustion, "I really have no intention in keeping you in the dark about this, that is genuinely the last thing on my mind, but what I want to do, is be sure we have all our facts in order before we present them to you, to make sure we don't give you any unnecessary panic over things we're not sure of yet."

"I still want to know what happened."

"Well I think you should tell her now, Harold." The Chief winced, the door opening, his five minutes of peace spent. "I think you should tell us – both of us – everything that happened, in your own words, over the past twenty-four hours. You can start by telling us about how you got this warrant to raid Erkin justified, then tell us a little about the mammal who died as a result of police brutality during the raid itself, and then move on to telling us precisely why Miss Hopps was sent, alone, into a pit full of danger."

"Without backup," Hopps added, "or even a fluffing map."

"And then, Bogo dear," Evie demeaned sweetly, touching her necklace, "perhaps you could make a start on writing that statement to the public…" her smile dropped to a scowl. "Or perhaps a draft letter of resignation."

Something in the Chief tore open, and his mouth formed a grimace as he pointed a bulky finger towards her. "Fuck you, bitch."

"Harold Bogo!" Wright exploded in outcry.

"It's my day off, and I refuse to put up with critiques and your arrogance and snide anymore! It's Saturday, a day I'm legally required to rest, but instead of resting I'm going to take Miss Hopps here to see her daughter, to check up on Wilde and to find out if Jack is still breathing!"

Bogo realized too late the name he'd let slip, but he guessed Wright would be too distracted to notice if he pushed on acting out of her control, so he turned away from her and towards Bonnie, with a cracked-edge smile that took every ounce of his remaining self-control to keep from looking like a scowl. "I'll be very happy to give you a lift, Miss Hopps," he said, so evenly it was painful. "I'm heading over to Saint Bernard's now, perhaps I could tell you about what happened on the drive over."

"That's very kind of you," Bonnie said, her voice as forcibly calm as Bogo's was. "I'd be delighted."

"Ha – Harold Bogo," Evie stuttered as Bogo stepped past her towards the door. "Harold Bogo, you are in soo very much trouble after that, I-"

"I'm sorry, Miss Wright, I can't talk right now, I'm having a nice day off," Bogo cut off, with a smile that was as much a sneer as a smirk, holding the door open for Bonnie, before closing it with a thump behind him.

The deer watched the door silently for several long seconds, demanding with all her willpower that it reopened itself and sucked Bogo back inside. She tore her gaze away, back towards the two towers of paperwork that sat upon the desk behind her, sitting down on the large chair, thumping down the next sheet on the tabletop, and scanning every page, every word for even the vaguest piece of incriminating evidence of misconduct or negligence she could find.

…Three seconds later, in the corridor outside, the Chief of Police buried his head deep into his large hooves, and cursed at himself for the very stupid thing he'd just done.

Bonnie and the younger buck shared a glance, and started worrying for the Chief's mental health.


	88. From Near and Far

Somewhere among the white walls and white floors of the Saint Bernard Hospital, two Canidae waited patiently and silently for any signs of life or movement on the part of the Lagomorph, who lay sleeping, her mind and body exhausted by physical and mental exhaustion. Both sat silently – one gazing blankly at the equally blank wall; the other looking slowly around the room, at the motionless lump of the rabbit, the equipment beeping softly beside her, while the fox distantly gazed into nothing.

Another long minute ticked by; Wolfard decided he couldn't let the fox sit there like that a moment longer. He cleared his throat, softly, just to see if he could bring the fox out of his trance. Wilde's ear flicked and he blinked, shaking his head a little as he did so as though his vision were misted.

"I'm sorry," Nick said, dryly, without conviction or energy, "this is a heck of a dull time for you. Not feeling much up for being good company right now."

The wolf thought quietly for a few moments for a neutral answer to say. "Someone has to keep an eye on you, Nick. I've no objection to that being me."

The fox looked around slowly, looking upon the wolf's expression, his tentative smile, the look of concern about his expression. "I don't need watching over. I've been through worse before. My-. My, erh…" the fox raised his paw and scratched at the back of his neck, doubt entering his mind for a moment before he pushed on… "My _last_ girlfriend, she went out, she was… killed; attacked, like Hoppsie was."

Wolfard flinched. "I'm sorry, Wilde – God, I'm… so this must _really_ be difficult for you, you know what it's like, you know how little-"

"How little it takes to lose a loved one? Yeah, I know. If you've got someone you care about, don't ever start taking them for granted, don't ever just expect them to always be there. You have no idea how quickly your life can turn to shit. You've no idea how little it takes to kill someone."

Jim took the fox's words deep in, watching him as he leaned forwards, his elbow propped on his knees as he stared down at the floor, his up-beat voice arid and toneless.

"Doesn't matter who you are. Doesn't matter what you're doing. Death can come to you, just come to you instantly. There's no letter in the post, no 'at your earliest convenience'. It just happens – I know. I've talked to people who've died the next day before, died in a fight, a car accident, shot down by cops… different times back then, the PD wasn't what it's like now."

"I'm guessing that was back when you were with your... 'crime' group you were with? That gang?"

"I…" clearing his throat, the fox glanced towards the door, checking no one was outside or about to come in. "I met a lot of murderers, shook paws with some of them - nice people on the whole, on the outside anyway – I preferred to stay away from the 'violent' side of things, turned more towards Intelligence. When you kill someone, you destroy more than the person… you wreck the lives of everyone who cares about them, their parents, their children, their partner."

"Innocent people who didn't deserve being torn apart. Yeah, I get you. Huh. So what were they known as, this gang of yours?"

The fox didn't react, but for the twitching of an ear.

"Nick?"

Turning to the wolf, the fox flashed a weak smile towards him, his eyes apologetic.

His meaning clicked in the wolf's mind, he nodded, and didn't push for more.

"So…you got a 'special someone'?"

The wolf choked a little on his own saliva. "Erh, can I take out the 'sorry-I'm-not-answering smile' option too?"

Nick chuckled. "You can, sure you can," he shrugged. "I wouldn't judge you, whatever you say. Just, I didn't tell you because there's a chance you could land me in jail if you knew."

Wolfard's brow furrowed, but they cleared after a moment as he decided to drop that line. "I… 'do' have a special someone, she's interesting, intelligent, funny – well, in her own way. She's a bit of a… well, I'm not even sure, really. I don't really know how much I should say, we haven't been together long."

"A wolf, or…?"

"Erh," he said, mildly, "a hare, artic hare."

The fox's eyes widened, a sly grin he hadn't worn for too long spreading on his face. "The _Nurse?_ "

"I asked her out yesterday – blabbed at her, really – not long before she went to examine Ju-"

The wolf paused as the monotonous beeping across the room increased its pace, a soft groan emerging from the rabbit's bed, as the lump moved, the soft groan rising to a low moan that didn't sound like a pleasant waking-up.

Wolfard stood, feeling very useless as Nick shot over to the bedside to try to calm Judy's nerves.

Judy's eyes opened, a sensation of white noise and nauseating movement around her, the whole room feeling as though it was spinning, a pressure on her arm, an unnatural scent, a sharpness of cold, a large, white wolf by the foot of her bed. She tugged her arm away, away from the paw of the fox trying to reassure her, and tried to heave herself up beneath the sheets, a ripple of hot pain searing through her at the agitation to her wounds.

Her teeth grating, her eyes shut tight; she forced them to open again, her eyes seeking for the white wolf and finding…

A beige-grey timber wolf stood at the end of her bed, watching with a panicked expression, as the fox at Judy's side tried to get her attention on him. Hopps glanced towards him, but then locked back towards Wolfard, her mind buzzing with confusion about the stuff she had seen, or thought she had at least seen.

Trying to find _some_ way to be useful, Wolfard moved to the door and pushed it open, stepping out a second later to search for a nurse who could come and help.

Judy's face relaxed a shade as the door drew itself closed, her face now becoming exhausted and deeply pained as she turned towards the fox. "Judy," he said. "Judy, you okay, sweetheart?" The rabbit tried to raise her free paw to the stinging in her head, winced as she tried to bend her broken wrist, hissing as she pulled her other paw from Nick's and reached for the cast around her breakage, trying to sooth it, wanting to rip the cast away.

Her head fell softly against the pillow, her expression tightening around her eyes as she moved, thus the motion enflamed the damage to her spine, even with her neck brace – a wave of sharpness and heat soothed down her back and into all four limbs.

Knelt beside the head of her bed, the fox watched, his expression downcast and pathetic, a look of disgust about him – self-disgust, for how useless and pointless his presence there was, how little aid he could give her. Slowly, his head fell towards his lap, and he rested his brow against the cold, metal side of the bed.

His partner – at work, in life, in love – and he could do _nothing_.

"I'm sorry, Carrots," he murmured to himself. "I'm so sorry I wasn't there, it should've been me, not you, I'm nothing without you, you never deserved this, it should've been _me…"_

"Nick." Her voice was dry and pained, her tones of joy and innocence extinguished, and her speech quiet. The fox looked up instantly, looking intently up towards the pale face of his lover. "I'd turn to look at you, but I don't think my brace would allow it. Stand up, let me see you."

The fox pushed himself to stand upright hurriedly, ready to do whatever his Judy wanted as soon as his Judy wanted it, and leaned over the rabbit's head. A small grin appeared on the rabbit's cheeks; a sad little smile grew on the fox's own. "Hey, Nicky…" her good paw reached slowly out, shaking just a little as it rose into the air. The rabbit took the fox by the shoulder, and lowered him down towards her, lowering her lids and pouting her lips just a little, and taking in, noticing as much detail of the kiss as she could.

"You keep asking me how I am," she said softly once the kiss was ended, the fox slipping his fingers between hers. "I've got a whole medical unit watching over me. What about you? How's _my_ partner been?"

"I've been… I've pulled through, Carrots, I'm okay."

"And these bandages on your paw?"

Nick sighed as he looked towards his compassionate love, the thumb of the paw holding his, touching upon the bandages Bogo had put on there after he'd punched and smashed the glass of a door. "This was… just an accident, Hopps."

Pulling gently on the fox's paw, the rabbit lowered him until his nose touched gently, tentatively against the end of her muzzle. "Don't beat yourself up over me, sweetheart," she said, her eyes barely open. "Don't put yourself though that, I… I can't bear the thought, can't allow that to happen."

"I won't, Judy. I won't, I promise."

"Is anyone taking care of you?"

"Yeah, erh… Bogo, actually, he took me in for the night."

"He did?" After a few moments taking it in, the rabbit chuckled, softly. "That tough old softy. How has he been, has he been okay with you? Oh, how-" Becoming more alert suddenly, the rabbit tried to sit up in bed, but stopped herself in time. "How did your thing with Finnick go?"

"W - well, I'm not _sure_ , Carrots. I'm not sure what's going on."

"What happened, Nick, what did he say?"

The fox glanced uncomfortably from the rabbit's gaze to the floor. "You said you didn't want to know anything about what had happened."

"Only if it went well. If something's gone wrong, Nick," she justified, a tone of her old strength returning, "then I _need_ you to tell me."

His breath bated, the fox took in the rabbit's firm, self-assured expression and his hopes rose at seeing the spark still there. "Bogo came in at an… inopportune moment, saw Finnick and I, took me up to his office, started ripping into me over these 'suspicions' he was being legally obligated to look into. During the night, he… when he thought I was sleeping, he phoned up Claw and asked him to break into Storage and get all the files on 'The Firm' he could find."

"You… you're saying he's on to you? But _how_ , there's nothing-"

"Finnick mentioned my 'involvement' with The Firm. In case he was going to be difficult or go back on his word or something, I had put the recorder behind the one-way-mirror on, so I'd have at least some kind of insurance against him double-crossing me, but I didn't get a chance to shut it off or retrieve the film because Bogo dragged me straight up to his office and didn't take his eyes off me. When he dropped me off, he just told me he wants to talk to me. Not sure if he's gonna fire me, or imprison me, or…"

Judy squinted, trying to arrange her thoughts into line, a pulsating pain growing in her head. She raised her paw again – but this time raised her un-broken one – up to her forehead to rub at the bandages. She hissed sharply, her eyes shutting tight and her paw becoming a fist as a blooming of blood appeared on the white of the bandage.

"Ah crap," said Nick, standing, the rabbit's breaths deepening. "Don't panic, Carrots, I'll go get-"

The door pushed open and Wolfard stepped in. "I called Flo," he said, "she's now coming down the hall." He came inside and held the door open, the tall hare stepping within and making directly for the rabbit beneath the white sheets, spotting the fresh patch of red on the bandage over her head and sighing softly.

"I must ask you to take care when touching your head, Judy," she said, softly. "You have to limit your movements as much as possible while the skin heals."

"Can't you give her anything," Nick asked, his voice on the edge of begging, "she's clearly in a lot of pain."

"I'm sorry, Nick, we've already given her the maximum recommended dose. I _could_ give her more, a stronger dose, but it would knock her out completely; I don't feel like having her unconscious again is the best way to proceeded."

"Is there anything you can do for her?" he said, turning back towards the rabbit, her eyes shut tight with her arm now just dangling beside her. "She's bleeding for fluff's sake!"

"Again, I am sorry, truly I am. We've given her stitches and bandaged her as well as we can, but she did receive some rather deep wounds to her cranium and will weep fairly often as they heal. In the meantime… Judy, Doctor Dasse has made an appointment for you to have another CT scan. If you have no objections, I will take you there now."

"So quickly?" Wolfard asked.

"Miss Hopps' condition is still a worry. He wants to check if the depression to the skull has not complicated at all and that the plates are all aligned after the surgery. He's pushed her through with emergency-clearance."

"Does she need anything done?" Nick asked, cautiously.

"No preparation is necessary," Flo said. "Judy, are you ready?"

The rabbit didn't open her eyes. "Yeah, I'm…" she managed.

Moving towards the bed, the hare pushed down with her foot onto the bed's brake release. "If you two wouldn't mind giving me a paw," she said, taking the metal rail at the foot of the bed and slowly pulling the piece of medical furniture towards the door.

The fox and the wolf fell in behind her, both taking one of the back corners of the bed – Nick leaning down towards Judy a little and whispering towards her: "Hopps, _hey_ Carrots, you with us?" The fox didn't get a response from the rabbit, and looked up towards the hare with fear in his voice. "She's out cold, Nurse, is she going to be okay?"

"She is physically and emotionally exhausted, Nick," Flo said over her shoulder. "Provided there's no complications with her skull fracture, she just needs a lot, and a lot of rest."

As they went further down the corridor, the Nurse instructed a few other nurses to help them push the medical bed along the way. They turned a corner and made towards a lift at the end of the room; at the doors of the lift, Rose stopped and turned to the two canids.

"I apologize, but I cannot allow you to come into the CT scan with us, you will have to wait in the waiting room while she's examined and while the results are processed. Nurse Perry will show you the way."

"Okay," Nick said, "okay, just – let her know I'm here if she needs me when she comes around, okay?"

"I will," Nurse Flo nodded, before turning to Wolfard. "See you soon." The wolf smiled at his newly-acquired 'interest'; the door of the large elevator sliding closed between them.

…

Zootopia's current Chief of Police drove through the city streets, his expression grim, the interior of his massive vehicle silent. The large engine rumbled, the city outside was alive with the goings-on of life, but between the cold glares of the rabbits in the back seat and the strain on his psyche, the interior was objectively silent.

Bogo glanced up again to his rear-view mirror, the steely glare of the motherly doe still upon him. He sighed to himself, his shoulder slumping as he pulled up at a red traffic light. "Miss Hopps, look, I'm sorry for snapping at you."

"I don't care if you snap at me, you snap at me all you want, it's what you did to my Judy that's got me riled."

"Under the circumstances," he said, patiently, "under the situation and the status of the… damn it, of the 'attack' on the Precinct One PD, sending Officer Hopps in there seemed like the best idea. It was that or let a shipload of criminals escape to come back and sell more of their illegal substance on the market. If I'd had any indication she was going to-"

"But you didn't even _try_ to help her! Why couldn't more of you go-?"

"We were on our way to the harbor that very moment, but a mammal connected to the criminal organization arrived at the HQ just before we were about to leave and held us all up."

"So you sent Judy in there alone? That was your 'master plan' of dealing with it? Send one lone officer, my daughter, into-"

"She _wasn't_ alone!" Bogo shot, filing the large car with the volume of his voice, the rabbits in the back seat moving back, their noses twitching. Bogo huffed. "I'm sorry. I'm _sorry_ , Miss Hopps, I'm just… under a _damn_ lot of stress right now. My best officer hospitalized, my other best officer traumatized, Jack on the verge of expiring."

"Your 'best' officer? Who, Judy?

"I'm… yes," he said, wretchedly, "I was putting in place steps for her to be promoted to Detective Inspector. Maybe even to take over from me some day."

"Gosh. _My_ little Judy? Really?"

Bogo glanced over his shoulder towards her, grinding the clutch with simmering, dejected ire. "Don't get your hopes up. It'll be several months at least before Hopps is even ready to return to paperwork duty, there's a strong chance I may not even still be Chief come that time. And that's if she even still wants to be an Officer when she's healed up."

Her ears lowering, the ever-empathetic mother started to see the Chief's situation; even started to appreciate his position for what it was. She drew a slow breath, and made a very motherly observation. "It was very silly of you to lose your temper like that. You don't get anywhere cussing at folks."

"At Wright? Ugh, it doesn't even matter, it won't change anything. She's had it in for me since the start."

"She's been briefed to find you inadequate," the doe stated.

"No, you misunderstand, Surveyors are never _told_ to find someone inadequate, that's against regulation."

"Regulation is one thing, real-life practice is another, we both know that, hon."

"Yes… yes, it is." Bogo sent the bunny a furrowed-browed expression through the rear view mirror. "Just _who are you_? How do you know the ins and outs of government practice like this?"

Bonnie leaned back into her seat, turning out towards the window with her open and honest face. "I worked in Zootopia's government at one time, way back when."

"You never said us that, Ma!"

"It was only for a short time, honey," she said to her son, turning back to Bogo. "I spent a couple of months over in I-AD."

"The Internal Affairs Department, yes. You worked 'in' Admin Tower?"

"No, one of the buildings close by, it was just connected to the Ringroad."

"Being employed to work in the _actual_ Ringroad around Admin Tower is still no small feat," Bogo said, openly. "What did you do there?"

"Ohh I can't remember the exact title, hon. Some under-Surveyor's assistant or something. I was basically an observer for an assistant Surveyor – nothing like the Surveyor Director you have looking over your shoulder right now, but something like that. I basically had to make sure they were doing everything above board, submitting genuine evidence, things like that."

"Why haven't you said any of this, Mam?" asked Billy. "I never knew you'd been in proper education?"

"Oh, I actually did study law and stuff for quite a few years, sweetie, I was quite hot on it at one point. But that was all a long time ago now, hon, I didn't like 'the city' in the end. I'm just your run-of-the-mill country hick nowadays," she added, a cheerful smile on her face.

"What happened?" Bogo asked, turning the car onto a main road.

Her smile faded. A moment from the past brought her mind sharply around to the more important matter of the current present. "It doesn't matter," she said, "I want to know _what_ happened to my Judy. You were about to tell me how you 'didn't' send her alone into that place?"

His trepidation on speaking openly about the involvement of the jackrabbit as prominent as ever, the Chief gazed for a long moment up at the majesty of Zootopia's skyline. "Where to start from… where to start."

"As much of a sweetheart as she is," Bonnie said, kindly, "Judy's none too good at keeping us up-to-date on the things going on around here. Just start from whatever the start is, it's not like I don't have a personal interest."

"I'm sorry, he said, I can't right now."

"Mom didn't ask for excuses," Billy said, tightly. "Now, you tell her what she asked to know!"

"Young Master Hopps, we're almost at the Hospital and your mother will, I'm sure, be more interested in seeing her daughter than listen to a half-hour lecture from me about everything that's happened these past few days. Also, there's another mammal I need to check in on: The other victim of last night's attack."

"Jack?" Bonnie cleared her throat at the Chief's startled expression. "Don't worry, honey, I'm not a spy, _reall_ y. I just heard you mention his name is all. All those years of trying to keep up in the moment with a couple hundred kids, you learn to pick things up. You said it was him who went in with Judy?"

"Yeah, his name's Jack."

"How is he?"

"Keeping him alive is going to be a struggle, from what I can tell. He lost a lot of blood, a major-concern lot-of-blood."

"Was he another one of your Officers?"

"No, he…" Bogo chuckled dryly, his speech now mostly to himself. "Hadn't thought of it like that. Turns out I'm not as terrible of a Chief as I thought. Turns out I made one right decision, at least." Bogo glanced over his shoulder to Bonnie. "I wanted Jack to stay close to Judy, wanted him keeping an eye on her in case the gang hit against her. Turns out it saved her life, saved the partnership of the damn-most-promising officers I've ever seen."

"Uh," Billy said, "you're not talking about that... that fox she keeps hoking 'round with."

"Separated, both Officer Hopps and Officer Wilde are extremely competent and respectable officers of the law. Wilde is a little sloppy, sometimes borders on lazy, but damn it he's the sharpest bloody officer on the force with more street smarts than half the rest of the officers combined. Hopps is the most dedicated, most good-obsessed paladin of justice I've encountered, and will diligently, and sometimes ruthlessly, peruse justice against any odds, any obstacles and against any danger. That's why I need them both. Wilde alone is too sloppy; with Hopps, he becomes as dedicated as she is, perhaps more so. Hopps throws herself into danger without a thought for herself; Wilde is needed to remind her she _does_ have her limits. He does need to take time to relax, and her integrity doesn't deflect bullets."

"They do sound like they make a pretty great team."

"They're a bloody perfect couple," the Chief snickered.

"Perfect 'what'?"

"Eh, work couple, couple of officers," Bogo corrected. "Look, erm, we're now here. I'll pull over just by the gates, you two hop out. _I mean, not hop as in_ , erghh… just, I'll go and park."

The Chief pulled the car over to a stop by the front entrance, the two rabbits in the back, indeed, Hopping down from the tall height of the large car, walking their way across to the doorway as Bogo revved the engine and manoeuvred the car towards the parking bays.


	89. Claustrophobic Catharsis

The doors to the CT scanning room pushed open, and a medical bed was wheeled inside, by a small team of medical staff. The front most of them turned and paced towards the waiting badger, nodding towards him as she stepped close. "Doctor Dasse," Flo acknowledged to her superior, "nothing much to report. Some physiological stress and psychological strain, but on the whole she's following expected recovery patterns."

"Thank you, Nurse. Do you think she'll be able to be brought back into consciousness briefly?"

"Yes, Doctor."

"Good. See to it. If she can't be woken up sufficiently, we'll have to give her a sedative – we can't risk her waking up in the middle of a scan if she's not been briefed, she could cause herself serious injury in her panic."

"I understand." The hare turned back towards the medical bed and the small, bandage-wrapped figure before her. She nodded towards the medical staff around her. "Back to your duties," she said, "thanks for the assistance."

When the last of the unnecessary attendants had filtered from the room, Nurse Flo moved close towards the side of the rabbit's bed, softened her voice and lowered herself a little towards her – even dropping her ears behind her head to make herself look less tall and imposing.

"Miss Hopps? Judy Hopps?" Clearing her throat, the hare raised the tone of her voice a few notches. "Carrots?" Hopps' expression flinched, her consciousness drawn from introverted roaming. Her eyes pulled open, and she focused on the figure of a hare with sharp, intelligent blue eyes leaning over her, listening to her soft and reassuring tones.

"Judy, I'm sorry for waking you, but we're here at the CT scanner; I want to just briefly run you through what it is and how it works to try and avoid discomfort. How are you feeling?"

"I… I feel _okay_ th–anks."

Flo smiled warmly. "Don't force yourself to recover more quickly than you need to," she said, softly, before returning to manners more professional. "The Computerized Tomography scanner is an advanced x-ray that can see bones, tissues, and blood vessels using a system of high-energy waves, similar to a standard x-ray except much less dangerous, and usable for far more detailed iconography. The process is completely safe, though it will be quite discomforting - we're going to need to put you into a small tube with limited space, and the machine will make some very loud and unsettling noises. You will be given earplugs for the noise, and I'll need you to hold _this_."

Reaching behind herself with her paw, the hare showed the rabbit a small, hollow plastic ball connected to a long pipe to the rest of the machine. "Hold onto this," she said, indicating the ball. "If you want the procedure to stop, squeeze it tightly, the air pressure will go down the pipe and alert us in the control room and we'll stop the procedure as quickly as is safely possible."

Judy nodded, softy, holding up a paw towards the hare – though only managing to raise her arm a short way – before the hare reached towards her and slipped the plastic device into her paw.

"I will be unable to be in here with you. I, and Doctor Dasse, will be in the next room along monitoring you. The scanner will rotate around the area of your head inside the ring-shaped machine, recording x-ray images and assembling them into a three-dimensional representation of your body which will be examined by a consultant radiologist. You will be required to wear these mufflers, through which you will also receive information as the examination progresses. It's also very important you stay completely still while inside, to ensure the images are as clear and useful as they can be. Are you ready to start the examination?"

"Yes. _Thankyou_."

Flo nodded and lowered the mufflers over the rabbit's ears, smiling softly. She and the other remaining nurse stepping towards the head of her bed, the hare adjusted a setting which lowered the bed by a few inches, before the two of them moved the rabbit's bed in line with a large piece of medical machinery.

It was a very bulky object, though it was protected by neat, clean-looking white plastic panels. It rose up several feet off the floor, its top a large dome with a hole in its center just wide enough for the bed to wheel its way in.

"I realize this is alarming," the nurse said as the bed started moving inside narrow stomach of the large device, "look straight up and out the other end." She did; it didn't help. The low, slim hole of the CT machine looming like a dark, all-consuming cloud around the rabbit's small, exhausted body.

Judy's breaths hitched, the large machine hissing a rhyme tune as pistons worked somewhere inside. She look directly up, focusing her gaze on the light at the other side of the small tube inside the machine, trying not to focus on the dark wall all around her or that her movements were now in the paws of an unthinking, unfeeling machine.

So vulnerable: too weak to really move; in too much pain to feel able to escape. Nurse Flo called something reassuring to the rabbit as the bed slid into its final resting place, and then Judy heard the door shut as the hare left the room.

"Okay," came a sudden male's voice over her earphones, "we're beginning the machine now. Please keep calm."

A glare-groaning sound abruptly emerged, the deep sound all around the rabbit's body, far louder than the mufflers were able to cancel out. Judy's whole frame flinched at the sudden volume around her, the dark shapes of the inside of the machine intoxicating her calm. The groan became a low, angry tone which shook with jittering throbs, its pitch changing disorientatingly from higher to lower and higher again.

A long minute passed for the rabbit; a strange tingling sensation grew in the rabbit's skull, like small feet running around the inside of her mind; the fur around her forehead started feeling as though it was hot – though, Judy realized, she couldn't be sure if either of those sensations were real or just her mind playing tricks with her.

She closed her eyes and tried to keep her breathing natural, tried to keep her pulse down – reminded herself that nothing was of issue and tha-

The tone of the vibrating sound changed abruptly, and made a high-pitched noise which grated on the nerves. It was the same tone as a siren, the same noise as a piece of equipment going very badly wrong to broken. Her eyes darting open again, her breaths heaving in suppressed anxiety, the rabbit's unsettled gaze flicked across the low ceiling which hung just inches above her face. The idea came to the rabbit's mind that the ceiling was lowering towards her, or that the bed was rising up, and that she was going to be suffocated by the cold, hard surface around her, its dark shapes casting a shadow over her body, the sensation of its mechanical pressure lowering towards her, swarming her mind.

She reached a paw out impulsively and pressed it against the surface above her. She knew she had to keep as still as she could, but the urge overtook her ability to reason. She pressed her paw against the surface, felt its cold, unmoving hardness, and sighed a breath. She lowered her paw, her eyes fell shut and she breathed deeply and slowly.

The feeling of motion was just her mind playing tricks, just a small idea which had infested her mind into believing it to be true. The sound of the alarm – it couldn't be an alarm at all, the nurse or someone else would have come by this point if something was seriously wrong.

Holding herself still, the rabbit allowed her exhaustion to slip into something like trying to go to sleep, accepting yet ignoring the sounds that surrounded her, forgoing the fear of the enshrouding shadows for the darkness of her own closed eyes.

The vibrations were just a part of the scan. The sensation of movement was imagined. There was nothing wrong, nothing to be afraid of. A thin smile crept across the rabbit's face, spreading across her mind in blooming to a soft giggle. _"Just fear itself,_ " she muttered, quietly.

She lay there silently. The tone changed again, to a mid-toned buzz. The two-tone sound of the frequency waves of the CT machine, the counterbalancing hiss of the pistons, the deep, monotone rumble of the whole machine… as her body turned off and her mind drifted into a gentle, light sleep, the noise that surrounded her started to feel oddly… 'musical', or at the very least hypnotic.

Her breaths slowed. The sensation of movement didn't reduce, but felt as though shifting from the instilling a sensation of dread, to one of relaxation – like rocking soothingly, softly in a crib.

Against all the anxiety and discomfort of a few moments ago, the rabbit's expression relaxed, her tightly closed eyes soothed to just simply being closed, her body released its tension, her breaths slowed, and she dipped gently, into a light, shallow sleep.

…

The waiting room, to the everlasting surprise of Wolfard, was not, as the rest of Saint Bernard's had been, coated on every surface in white. The white walls and white ceiling with white strip bulbs were all still present, but the surface of this floor was fitted with rough, industrial gray carpet. There were a few works of classical artwork on the walls, fine-brushstroke paintings of a gentle sea, a forest of luscious green, a crystal lake… to the wolf's mind, it felt as though all the pieces had be chosen to keep the visitors-waiting feel calm and sanguine, to prevent them from worrying about what 'might be' or the goings on behind the closed, 'by-admittance-only doors'.

 _Talking of mammals worrying,_ he thought to himself, turning back from the painting of an old-style church in winter, looking towards the fox who sat alone in one of the few hundred chairs which lined the walls and corridored the floor which turned the wide, otherwise empty room to almost a maze of columns and rows of chairs, all sized for medium-sized mammals such as they and Judy – the other sizes being in other wards of Saint Bernard's, the largest hospital in Zootopia, and probably one of the largest in the world, depending on how you measured it.

When he looked around to see the fox sat in a chair against the wall, he was glad to see him actually looking about at the surroundings and the other mammals around them, rather than just staring into his lap worrying about Judy. Wolfard smiled as he saw this, pacing the few steps over to the fox and making to sit down. For an instant, he moved to take the obvious choice of sitting with one seat between them – just to give the fox a respectful distance; it was hardly like they were short on space – but he changed his mind in the speck of the moment, and sat down in the seat directly next to him.

The wolf glanced in the fox's direction, just to see if he'd get a reaction, before gazing back out before them – joining the fox in his quiet observation of the lives going on around them, with the main reception desk and the front doors into the hospital clearly visible from where they sat.

Wolfard was drawn from his inner thoughts a few moments later, sensing the fox beside him making an intake of breath; turning towards him just as he began to speak. "Hey, Wool, you ever play – well, you won't have, I made it up, but you might know something like it – a game I call 'Observation'?"

"Erh… no? What's that?"

"Pretty simple, really, you just look around, look for some mammal who looks kinda interesting, and just… figure them out. Look at their clothes, what they're doing, what they're not doing, how they're interacting with the people around them and… just, try and figure them out. Mostly it's clothes and body language stuff, sometimes you can catch bits of what they're saying too if you're lucky."

"Isn't it, erh… like, 'dangerous' to make assumptions about suspects just based on what they're wearing? I mean, they said that back in the Academy, about trying to guess everything about some guy just by how they look."

"Yeah-yeah, this ain't no Sherlock-Bones substitute to detective work, just a little game I used to play. Had a lot of free time back when I was young, lotta time spent in my room with the door locked just watching the mammals go by, wondering who they were, what they were like, the lives they lived..."

Wool stared solemnly at the fox, the deeper meaning of his words sinking clearly into his mind. He'd assumed some time ago, after months of never meeting, seeing or hearing of his parents, that there was something down that line Wilde didn't like touching upon, but Wool thus gathered all he needed to know about Wilde's past from that small statement. "Erh," he said, shaking himself from his thoughts, "sure – sure, I'll give it a go. Don't know how good I'll-"

"It's not about being 'good' or 'bad', Wool. You can't be wrong. All you can do is try and figure out what the most plausible, the most logical conclusion from what you see. Take that cougar over there… you see him?"

"The, erh… one in the brown suit?"

"Yeah. What can you tell me about him?"

"Eh, mid… seventies? _Maybe?_ Pretty nice suit, probably in business. Erh… can't tell if he's wearing a wedding ring or anything from here. Guess he's, kinda skinny? So, erm… that – that kinda the idea of what we're doing?"

Sitting forwards, the fox brought his paws together and rubbed them. "Kinda… I've never had to explain it before; forgot about it, actually, only remembered it just now thinking about family and stuff. The idea isn't to just make logical assumptions and decide to leave it at that, it's more to try and find a string of conclusions you can make; always ask another question; always try and find as many reasons for something as you can. I mean, what he's wearing: Is there any kind of story behind that?

"He's in a suit, yeah, but does that mean he's a businessmammle? Maybe," Nick continued, "but maybe he's just come from a formal dinner or a wedding or something, maybe he's a manager, or visiting his boss and wanting to make a good impression. Isn't brown an unusual color suit for a formal occasion? You'd normally expect black or charcoal or blue, so maybe he just likes wearing suits, in which case he could just as well be retired. He's wearing it unbuttoned but he's been stood up a while now. Is he hot? Is it too tight?

"It's not really that warm in here; if it's too tight, that's kinda interesting: from the looks of it, it's like a pretty decent-made suit which suggests he was doing well for cash at one point, but if he's gotten older and wider and hasn't had it adjusted, maybe something happened and he lost his cash. Unless it's second-paw, his dad's or something, in which case he might never have had much money and maybe he's here to see his dad, wants to make a good impression by wearing his old suit, though that kinda gives me the idea it's bad news, partly because, if he's around seventy, he's dad's gonna be in the nineties, and also 'case why would you wear a suit to see your dad? Though, if it's not his dad.-"

"Huh... maybe what happened is he had a good business and a fortune at one time but lost it all, had to get a new job in business from which he's just come, explaining the suit and why it's an old-but-expensive one, and he's now here to see his boss in the hospital to try make him like him and give him a promotion so he can earn a decent living and get his pension back."

Wolfard stared at the fox, his head slowly shaking, his jaw hanging open just a little. "That was pretty… really impressive."

Nick chuckled, leaning suddenly to the side to bump his shoulder against the wolf's. "It's nothing, probably none of that's gonna be true."

"It's still incredible! You looked at some old guy in a suit, and turned that one bit of clothing into a life story, like his journey of gaining and losing his fortune, seeking out a new job in business with his old suit, going to see his boss to try and get in his good books. Just… it's really just something I've never seen before."

The fox shrugged. "It's an illusion, don't get too excited about it. You do one, see for yourself how easy it is."

"Okay sure, but erm… who?"

"Whoever you want, really," Nick shrugged, glancing around. "But, erh… that young fennec in the green dress over there, what about her?"

"Oh, the kid? Well…" his gaze going once up and then down the child's attire, the wolf followed from the fox's example: "It's a very nice dress, like, probably something you'd just wear on a special occasion, like she's seeing someone special or just came from a party or something."

"Unless?"

" _Unless_? Well, erh – guess, could just be a wealthy family…?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" the fox asked, grinning lightly. "There's no right or wrong answer, Wool, you don't have to look to me for approval - but, yeah, rich parents who like dressing their kids up like dolls ain't as uncommon as they should be. Carry on, you're doing well."

"It's not… not really practical – like, at all – so, I doubt she's gonna be out playing with the other kits or doing chores or anything like that. It's… very clean? Might be quite new, or it's well looked-after. She… her, erm…"

Spotting the wolf's waning, the fox offered a paw. "What's she looking at?"

"Eh, nothing."

"Oh," Nick taunted, "she's blind is she?"

"Huh – alright, smarty-fox, she's looking at the ground."

"Kinda odd, don't you think?"

"How?"

"All these mammals around her, all these new sights… if I were her age, I'd be looking about everywhere, not just gazing down at my feet. What does that tell us?"

"I… Wilde," he said, turning to the fox, "I don't know."

"Stop thinking about what you 'don't know', Wool," the fox said with a playful tone to his voice. "No one's expecting you to 'know' anything about these mammals, just say what you think's right." Leaning back against the wall, the fox eyed the wolf expressively. "It's confidence building, as much as anything. Stops you worrying about being wrong; sets you up to just… go for it, who cares if you're wrong; how're they gonna prove it even if you are?"

"Right. Okay, I'm sorry, I just-"

"It's that kinda mentality that'll let you do well in a city like this. You can become a very successful swindler and conmammal if you can carry off an attitude of knowing you're right even if you know you're not. Helps you along in policing too – but, obviously, if you _are_ a cop it matters a lot more that you're not just making up stuff to sound good. But it stops you worrying about investigating the wrong lead."

"I get it, Nick, I get the idea; it's – it's really smart, actually, it's like, 'why did we never get shown this at the Academy'?"

"Who knows, who cares," Nick said, his voice low and smooth. "I'd guess she's either looking at the floor because she's just been told off, because someone she cares about has just recently been admitted here. I doubt it's her who's about to be looked at, otherwise it wouldn't be such a nice dress. Anyway, pick out someone else, we've got plenty of time – plenty of time for me to make you a master 'Observationalist'."

"Alright, I'll erh…" his gaze wondered for a few seconds. "Woah," he exclaimed, nudging the wolf with his elbow, nodding to the front entrance, a tone of heavy sarcasm in his voice, "look at this bad-boy, it's the toughest buck in the city who just turned up to play. Uh-oh," he mocked, quite openly, "better watch out, he's probably here to get into a fight?"

"Pretty hench," the fox concurred. "Doubt he's here for a fight, he'd have to be a pretty darn thoughtful mugger to only attack people someplace where they've got pretty much instant access to expert medical attention – heh, it'd be like a thief breaking into your home and leaving behind crime-scene-preservation leaflets and installing a security alarm before they'd be gone."

"Pretty swish jacket he's got on, looks somewhere between bikerware and something an aviator would have. Bet that gives him a lot of 'street cred'."

"Yeah, but, what's that underneath? He's wearing… dungarees?" The fox squinted, his head tilting to one side. "Huh. Well, that's pretty interesting – wonder if he's from outside the city. I'd say he's a painter but I can't see any paint on his clothes from here so… maybe he's a factory worker or something? But then why is he here in the Corporate sector in the West when there's another hospital in the Industrial area over in the North?"

"He's waiting for someone, whoever he is," Wolfard said, watching the hench buck in the dungarees as he stood looking out the front doors. "What do you think, girlfriend or gang of youths?"

"Hard to tell. Seems pretty impatient. I think it'll be a –" The mammal the buck was waiting for stepped through the electric, glass doors "… _Bonnie?!_ "

"A what?"

"It… that – _that's_ Judy's mum!" The fox rose sharply from his feet, a look of surprise crossing his features at the sight of the motherly doe off ahead.


End file.
